Actress Ashley Jensen has joined a group of lucky schoolchildren on a knitted red carpet in the East Midlands whilst hosting an exclusive premiere to launch a brand-new Shaun the Sheep animation for Save the Children's Christmas Jumper Day.
Academy Award-winning studio Aardman has colla-baa-rated with the international children’s charity on a ewe-nique Shaun the Sheep animation, The Knit Before Christmas, to celebrate the charity’s fundraising campaign and encourage everyone to sign up, take part and donate.
Save the Children Ambassador Ashley Jensen hosted the film’s premiere at Launde Primary School in Leicester. Launde Primary was the top fundraising school for Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day in 2023, raising £3,744.84 to help children in the UK and around the world stay safe, healthy and learning.
Launched today on Shaun the Sheep’s Global YouTube channel, The Knit Before Christmas features our favourite Mossy Bottom Farm residents preparing for the big day on Thursday 12th December. The leader of the Flock and Save the Children’s new Head of Wool for Christmas Jumper Day, Shaun the Sheep, demonstrates his co-knit-ment to supporting the charity’s baa-rilliant campaign as the animation unravels.
Jensen, whose critically acclaimed career includes starring roles in Extras, Ugly Betty and Shetland, is a long-standing supporter of Save the Children and helped launch the charity’s first ever Christmas Jumper Day in 2012. The Scottish actress – who has previously voiced characters for Aardman’s Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits films – has visited Save the Children programmes in Tanzania, India, Greece and the UK in her role as Ambassador.
After the schoolchildren enjoyed the red-carpet treatment and watched the film’s first-ever outing in Launde Primary’s assembly hall, Ashley spoke about the lasting impact that fundraising campaigns like Christmas Jumper Day have on children’s lives, both here in the UK and around the world.
Ashley said: “I’ve been to a fair few premieres throughout my career but this was one of the most special by far. The kids absolutely loved the new Shaun the Sheep animation and they should give themselves a huge pat on the back for all the amazing fundraising they have done for Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. I’ve supported the charity for more than a decade and the work they do, for and with children, has never been more important. I’ve seen first-hand how donations from schools like Launde Primary make such a difference and I hope other children and teachers feel motivated to have a woolly wonderful fundraiser this year!”
Launde Primary School was chosen to host the premiere as a thank you for all the money they raised to create change for children that lasts for generations to come and to inspire other school children across the country to take part in Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day.
Ibrahim, a pupil from the school who is 10 years old, said: “The animation was great, it was super fun. I feel like Save the Children is doing a very good thing, because there are children less fortunate than we are and we’ve got to understand that if we can help them then that would be better. I feel very proud because I didn’t expect, out of all of the schools, that Launde – which only has 600 students – would be the best of the best. But then again, our students are really passionate about our school and our community is amazing in the Launde family.”
Clare Johnston, Assistant Head of Launde Primary School, said: “We are so proud of our pupils and staff for all their fundraising efforts – and to be named the top fundraising school of Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day last year was incredible! We know the money will help much-needed projects here in the UK, as well as around the world, to help children stay safe, healthy and learning.”
This year Shaun the Sheep has taken on a new fleece of life as Save the Children’s Head of Wool for Christmas Jumper Day in the hope of encouraging schools and youth groups up and down the country to sign up, take part, donate and make the world better with a sweater.
Sign up today at ChristmasJumperDay.org
