Paddington Bear launches Web site to benefit Action Research

Howard Lake | 10 July 2001 | News

Paddington Bear, mascot of medical charity Action

Research, launches a new Web site this week which will benefit the charity.

The Web site is the online presence of the UK’s only Paddington Bear Fan Club – Paddington’s Action Club – which celebrates 25 years of Paddington’s involvement with Action Research.

All proceeds of the club and merchandise will go to leading medical charity Action Research. The site is sponsored by Paddington and Co Ltd.

On the site younger visitors can choose to look inside to see what Paddington has been up to in the news section, or go to the club area to colour in Paddington, cook some of his favourite recipes, or have a go at the competitions, games and

cartoons. Visitors can join the club and buy exclusive Paddington Bear merchandise.

The Web site launches four weeks ahead of the publication of a brand new Paddington Bear book ‘Paddington Goes to Hospital’ by Michael Bond and Karen Jankel (Collins Children’s Books). All of the author royalties from this book will go to Action Research.

The club costs £3.50 a year to join for children and £5.00 for adults. Members receive a membership card, a birthday card on their special day, a quarterly newsletter, a badge and a collecting box. Members will also receive a discount on Paddington merchandise along with access to limited edition products. There are also membership schemes for schools

and businesses.

Mike Deyes – spokesperson for Action Research – said: “Paddington’s appeal is global and we hope that Paddington fans around the world will join the club, buy some great merchandise and help continue to raise funds for more vital medical research.”

Paddington Bear became the mascot of Action Research in 1976 following an encounter between the charity’s founder Duncan Guthrie and Michael Bond at a party in London. It transpired that Action Research was funding work into hip deformity – a condition that was affecting Michael’s daughter Karen. Michael Bond then offered Duncan Guthrie the use of Paddington Bear as a mascot for the charity and the rest is

history.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.