All of our content is co-created with parents and healthcare professionals and vetted by external Healthcare bodies and parents. Our vision at Best Beginnings is that all children are given the best start in life and the opportunity to maximise their development, well-being and life chances, At Best Beginnings we believe in the power of collaboration to create and provide quality-assured and evidence based information for families. Andy said "So many of us are struggling in isolation during the lockdown.

Andy Serkis: Gollum actor raises £280,000 for charity after mammoth 'Hobbitathon' reading, Andy Serkis reads The Hobbit in one sitting, It took the actor almost 11 hours to read the entire book, Serkis is best known for starring as Gollum in The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings films. It took the star just under 11 hours to finish fantasy novel The Hobbit as more than 650,000 across the world watched online. Serkis has been an ambassador of Best Beginnings for more than six years. The videos follow four mums who decide to breastfeed their babies - it will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding and how to do it successfully. I am truly humbled by the response! And what a great story to do it with.". Best Beginnings' participation in the Heads Together campaign, spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Andy's #Hobbitathon enthralled more than 650,000 fans across the world as he took live-storytelling to a new level and lifted everyone’s lockdown spirits. As you may already know, Andy Serkis completed The Hobbit yesterday in one sitting in an attempt to raise funds for Best Beginnings UK and NHS Charities Together during the COVID-19 outbreak.


And the money raised will be split equally between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings, which works to support babies, toddlers, pregnant families and new parents, and aims to reduce inequality. It includes a set of films following the journey of mums who decide to breastfeed their babies to provide support and information for parents. From Bump to Breastfeeding is a project to support women with breastfeeding. Serkis’s reading is set to stream online, starting at 10am BST on Friday, 8 May. Along with raising spirits, Andy hopes the marathon performance will drive much-needed donations for two charities very close to his heart. Email Andy Serkis: Gollum actor raises £280,000 for charity after mammoth 'Hobbitathon' reading.

The GoFundMe campaign target has now been increased to £350,000.

Donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/thehobbitathoncovid19appeal.

And with that, I bid you goodnight from London - and to you and your loved ones, stay well.". Andy Serkis has raised more than £280,000 for charity after completing a live, continuous reading of The Hobbit. "Sitting in a comfortable chair I have a real tendency to fall asleep very easily," he said. Serkis also said he was inspired by Captain Tom Moore, the centenarian who has raised tens of millions of pounds for the NHS's COVID-19 efforts by walking laps of his garden. See Hear Respond is a partnership to help children, young people and families cope with the Covid-19 crisis. The challenge was aimed at providing entertainment and lifting people's spirits as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions continue. All of the money raised will be split equally between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings, for which Andy has been an ambassador for more than six years. On this page you can watch the From Bump to Breastfeeding DVD videos. Working to improve outcomes for teenage parents and their children by developing maternity services to meet their needs. :: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker. NHS Charities Together is the umbrella organisation bringing together all the official charities of the health service. Thank you again to @harpercollins and the Tolkien Estate for making this all happen. Serkis only had a few two-minute breaks during the marathon read, including one at 11am to respect the VE Day silence. He also said he would be armed with food and energy drinks to keep breaks to a minimum. "Captain Tom and so many people running marathons," he said. He said on social media afterwards: "Thank you all so much for tuning in and for supporting NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings, who between them support frontline workers, parents and babies. Learn more about the National Teenage Pregnancy Midwifery Network here. "Because of you, we raised more than £280,000 and counting! Graphic of a baby attaching on the breast, The National Teenage Pregnancy Midwifery Network. "We are going to investigate with them more opportunities to share today's "one-time" live event, so stay tuned. Learn more here. Serkis, who earlier this year received the BAFTA Award for outstanding British contribution to cinema, started the Hobbitathon at 10am on Friday and finished just before 9pm.

Ahead of the challenge, Serkis told Sky News he had a 60-page practice run. Sign me up! Andy Serkis to launch 12 hour 'HOBBITATHON' to raise money for NHS Charities Together & Best Beginnings Starting at 10am GMT, the marathon read-along will be live-streamed for free and will see Andy reading the entire book from start to finish with no breaks. "I just thought, what's the equivalent? While times are tough, I want to take you on one of the greatest fantasy adventures ever written, a 12 hour armchair marathon across Middle Earth whilst raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need.". Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. From Bump to Breastfeeding guides you through all the questions, and talks to young mums about what it’s really like. First name The free multi-award winning app for parents and parents-to-be endorsed by the Department of Health and other leading health organisations in the UK. Starting at 10am GMT, the marathon read-along will be live-streamed for free and will see Andy reading the entire book from start to finish with no breaks. .honeybee-container { display:none; } If you can't actually run a marathon if you're trapped indoors, an armchair marathon would be good. The live stream will start at 10am GMT (5am EST, 2am PST) Friday 8th May, and the livestream link will be posted on the GoFundMe page on Friday morning. to unite and to donate via the GoFundMe campaign. Listen to "Stevie returns, Mark Ruffalo impresses and all aboard the space Cruise" on Spreaker. It took the actor just under 11 hours to finish JRR Tolkien's fantasy novel, as more than 650,000 people online across the world watched him taking on the "Hobbitathon" challenge during the coronavirus lockdown. Andy Serkis - The Hobbitathon - MP3 Recording (self.AvermanBramblebuck) submitted 3 months ago * by AvermanBramblebuck - pinned. Last name On 8th May, Andy Serkis embarked on a staggering feat, reading the entire The Hobbit novel, cover to cover in an 11 hour sitting, inhabiting each character as only he can. 36 Great Russell StreetBloomsburyLondon WC1B 3QB, National Teenage Pregnancy Midwifery Network, Black Breastfeeding Week 2020 - Desire's story, 5. He included different voices in the gruelling feat, including of course his famous Gollum character. Read more, RT @0to19Torbay: We must not forget that some babies have not met another baby face to face yet and are missing out on learning vita… https://t.co/sJrcTNO12t, RT @KindredSquared: @Sue3000 @bestbeginnings @homestartuk @ParentInfantFdn We really appreciate the hard work of health visitors, both… https://t.co/HWLmEj44DQ, RT @MMHAlliance: We're working with MMHA member @CentreforMH on a rapid UK-wide evidence review of the impact of #COVID19 on… https://t.co/zBIsMdeSny. Andy is calling on fans from all over the world, (including Middle Earth and beyond!) Mental health resources to support parents who may experience a wide range of emotional problems: from generalised low mood and anxiety to severe depression and postpartum psychosis. Hey!