A little history from Britian teddy Bears

Childhood favourites, Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear are as British as tea on the lawn or a rainy bank holiday.

Although teddies were invented in Germany and the US in 1902, it was the British who took the teddy bear to their hearts and opened bear making factories all over the country.

By the end of the 20th Century, they could not compete with the cheap bears imported from China and most of them closed down.

Of all the 30 or so teddy factories that once existed in Britain, only one still remains. Nestled in the Shropshire countryside, Merrythought Ltd has been making bears since 1930.

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Reference  BBC News

British Bear now Olympic merchandise

The decline of British toy manufacturing does not seem to have harmed the UK toy industry as a whole as people still want toys. Plush toys including Teddies) grew at 39% in 2010 / 2011.

Behind this growth has been an advertising drive that heralds "Creativity, resilience and relevance" all playingtheir part in helping the toy industry to weather the past two years" .. " Now the toy industry 

The classic teddy bear has been given an Olympic twist

 needs to maintain its focus on producing toys with great play value at affordable prices,"  states Christine Nicolls [Chariman of the British Toy and Hobby Association]

Toys inspired by blockbuster films proved particularly popular in 2010, with characters from Toy Story 3 bringing in the most revenue.


The trend for fashionable soft toys has led many businesses to take advantage of the 2011 Royal Wedding and the 2012 Olympics.

Official London 2012 merchandise will contribute approximately £80m to the staging of the games and will no doubt generate huge amounts of publicity for the companies involved.

Merrythought is one of the businesses supplying 2012 products and Mr Holmes hopes it will mean "we can make Merrythought products available to a slightly wider and more discerning audience'' and keep the company going for another 80 years.

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Reference BBC news

Activities with water

Making bubbles

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How did this Teddy Bear activity begin

Towards the end of 1999 the moe Old Gipps town would host a Saturday where the young children would take there teddy bear to a Teddy Bears Picnic. Most of the Guides in Churchill did not have transport to attend. Public transport finished through Churchill by 1pm on a Saturday afternoon. So if the Leaders could get the Guides there there was not transport back.

Rather than not be included the Guides were encouraged to think of ways to be included. The older Guides helping in the younger units suggested holding their own Teddy Bear Picnic at the Hazelwood South Hall during the meeting time. Some of these older guides had attended the Teddy Bear overnight stay at the hall a few years before.

Weeks before the chosen meeting time 'things' were created to include the others to participate. The activty usually netted some interest from girls outside the Unit. Guides that had moved from this Unit wanted to be included too. The meeting was opened to the sisters of the younger Guides. Over the years they brought friends --usually from the otlder unit!

The day then became a Saturday activity. Open to all Guides, family and friends.
Then the leaders became so externally busy that the weekends for the Teddy Bears Picnic evaporated. By the end of 2008 the Units had planned to have a Teddy Bears Picnic included in with the Rac Wac in first term 2009. The fires that are now named 'Black Saturday' threw all planning out of the window.

So by the end of 2009 fouth term the planning for 2010 teddy bears picnic had already begun.. Several changes have occured. people have offered to assist. These same people are interested in getting the Guides active, with more people knowing just what Guides actually is involved with. Now the Hazelwood and Churchill Guide District team are now organising the event. A Gipp's Guide is overseeing the Teddy Bears Picnic. As part of Clean up Australia the Teddy Bears will be assisting in Cleaning up the Glendonald Park. Since Clean Up Australia in Glendonald Park is a family and friend event everyone is invited. Activities and games will be included.as part of the 'entertainment factors' for the youngest children. Games in the Park will be aimed at the older ones. The District catering team is resonsible for the BBQ.

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