A family of polar bears will be lighting up Stratford town centre this Christmas – and the town’s children are being asked to name them.
Stratford Town Council has purchased three animatronic polar bears to create a fun display to be unveiled on the first day of the town’s Victorian Christmas Market on Thursday December 9.
The bears – a baby bear, granny bear and grandpa bear – are all in need of names, so the town council has invited Stratford’s schoolchildren to name them.
Children aged four and five can name the baby bear, ages six to seven can name the granny bear, and children aged eight to 11 will name the grandpa bear.
The children who pick the most interesting and fun names will win a cuddly polar bear toy of their own, provided by LSD Promotions.
The funding to purchase the three bears was provided through the Welcome Back Fund, from the European Regional Development Fund money through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The programme is managed by Shakespeare's England on behalf of Stratford District Council.
Grants are given to projects that help to attract local residents and visitors alike into high streets or town centres post-Covid.
The money was also used by Stratford Town Council to purchase a full-sized sleigh to go with the council’s previously-acquired animatronic reindeer.
Sarah Summers, Town Clerk at Stratford Town Council, said: “We’ve always looking for ways to make our town centre even more magical, especially for children who attend.
“When we heard we had been awarded funding through the Welcome Back Fund, we wanted to purchase something new that would enhance what we already have for the Victorian Christmas Market.
“And when I saw these polar bears, I thought they would be perfect. We bought some animatronic reindeer a few years ago for the Christmas lights switch-on, so having polar bears along with a sleigh was only natural.
“All they need now are names, so we’ve written to all the primary schools in the district to see if their pupils have a flash of inspiration. We’ve already received plenty of entries and we’re looking forward to receiving even more – and revealing the polar bears during the market.”
Glyn Slade, Welcome Back Event Manager from Shakespeare’s England, said: “The Welcome Back Fund is specifically designed to help our towns attract people back onto the high street as we come out of the pandemic, and this competition to name the newly-bought polar bears and engage our younger residents is a really fun way of doing that.”
CAPTION – Stratford-upon-Avon Mayor Cllr Kevin Taylor (left), with Glyn Slade and the toy polar bears available as prizes for winners of the competition. The animatronic bears will be unveiled at the Victorian Christmas Market