A special bear has been stolen from a shop window during an annual charity bear hunt.
A Steiff Winnie the Pooh bear has gone missing from his spot in the window of Waterstones, where he was sat as part of Save the Children’s 9th annual bear hunt.
Made in 2001 to mark 75 years of the classic book by A. A. Milne, Pooh bear was donated by doll maker Vicky Norman, who had made a piglet and Christopher Robin doll to go alongside him. She donated them to Save the Children, and the bear hunt has used them since.
Volunteer Su Lycett said: “He’s without his certificate, but he’s still valuable to us. He inspired the start of the bear hunt.”
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The bear hunt raises funds for Save the Children, a charity improving the lives of children in the UK and across the globe.
Su first discovered Pooh had gone missing on August 27.
She said: “I walked into Waterstones on Tuesday and they said they noticed he was missing at the weekend.
“We just want it to come back. Just put it behind the counter in Waterstones anonymously – please bring it back. Next year will be the 10th year and it would be a real shame if we do not have the bear that inspired the whole event.”
Every year, bears are hidden across the city for children to find over the summer holidays. This year, the hunt runs between July 13 and September 3.
The list of bears, completed or not, can be posted in the Bear Post Box at Salisbury Information Centre where participants can collect a copy of the Bear Hunt by artist and illustrator Anna Shuttlewood. All entrants will be included in a prize draw at Rocket Ship Bookshop on September 14.
Su said: “There are 100 bears in shop windows and families can pick up a form and search for bears. It doesn’t matter if they get all or some of them. Forms are free as Salisbury BID print them, and you post them in a Bear Post Box in Salisbury Information Centre with a donation for Save the Children.”
To donate to Save the Children as part of the bear hunt, click here.
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