Now incorporated as a charity, Slippers for Charity is planning a major fundraising next week in order to raise funds to assist special needs children in Bermuda.

Next Friday members are the workforce are urged - if their employers allow it - to wear their slippers to work and donate $2 to the charity which is aiming to raise at least $5,000 for a good cause.

Last year a group of XL Reinsurance employees wore slippers to work to raise money for children with special needs, with the first beneficiaries being the Augostinho twins, Jennifer and Ashley, who have cerebral palsy.

The idea for the slippers came after Barbara Rebello, now the charity's president, injured her foot and had to sear slippers to work. She urged her colleagues at XL to also wear slippers and donate funds to charity. At short notice they were able to raise $165 which was matched by XL Foundation.

Combined with over $500 raised by Grade 2 Mount Saint Agnes students who read the article in the Mid Ocean News in February, almost $1,000 was donated to the Augostinho twins.

"The charity was registered on April 9 of this year and now we are going for our biggest fundraising event this November," said the president.

"Our goal is to raise at least $5,000, but it would be nice to double that. There are so many special needs children in Bermuda who need ongoing therapy and treatment.

"We have a few children in mind... the twins girls who we helped last year and another girl who has cerebral palsy as well. There is also a boy who had a diving accident this summer whose insurance is running out and we would like to give something to him."

Other members of the new charity are Vice President Anne Medeiros, secretary Moira Lindo and treasurer Madeleine DeSilva. They are also inviting students to participate and were impressed and grateful for what the MSA students were able to raise in just one class.

"I don't think people realise how many families do need help in Bermuda," said Mrs. Rebello. "Everytime I talk about the charity a friend would say `oh, I know somebody who could benefit'."

Said Mrs. Medeiros: "We want everybody to participate, just like Denim Day when all the companies participate, we would like that for our charity. It's just been difficult to get the word out."

Anyone interested in participating can contact Mrs. Rebello at 732-5645 or Mrs. Medeiros at 732-6992. There is also an e-mail address, slippers4charityyahoo.com