Visitors to London between now and the end of the year will find, in various locations, no less than fifty specially designed, three foot six inch tall statues of the character Paddington Bear - including one designed by Nick Mason which uses Wish You Were Here as its inspiration. The bears form The Paddington Trail, a fundraising effort tying in with the release of the children's film, an adaptation of the much loved series of books.
The lead charity partner of The Paddington Trail is the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) who will be launching an online auction (in November) and a live auction (in December) for the statues designed by artists and some of the more collectable items. All of the proceeds will go to charity, to raise vital funds for their ChildLine service, helping to ensure that children and young people have someone to turn to in times of need. It is hoped that The Paddington Trail and associated activities will raise over £500,000 for the NSPCC.
The trail also benefits children's charity Action Medical Research for whom Paddington Bear has been the official mascot for over 35 years.
For those who are specifically in search of Nick's bear, it can be found at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, east London. More details of the bear, its location, and how to get there, can be found here.
Other bears have been designed by a diverse range of actors, artists, sports personalities and more, including David Beckham, Nicole Kidman, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hollywood superstar Sandra Bullock who has created a Gravity inspired design of Paddington in an astronaut's outfit which will be hung from the ceiling at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
More information can be found at the NSPCC website.
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