PUPILS at Astwood Bank First School have been busy going on a bear hunt – with a little help from borough Mayor Councillor Joe Baker.
The school has just launched an exciting new project all about bears, inspired by Birmingham’s Big Hoot (2015) which featured owls, and the Big Read (2016).
For 2017 the theme is The Big Sleuth, which links to the idea of being detectives – while a group of bears is actually called a ‘sleuth’.
Already businesses across the West Midlands are sponsoring professional artists to design and make huge sculptures of sun bears which will be displayed all around the city in a treasure-hunt style adventure trail.
Families will get to discover all sorts of interesting corners of Birmingham while hunting for the bears which will then be auctioned off to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.
Alongside these will be over a hundred sun bear cubs which will be decorated by schools and which will also be part of the summer trail.
The school’s PTA has bought one of these cubs and on St Valentine’s Day, February 14, it was unveiled with a little help from the Mayor, who gamely put on a bearskin onesie.
Pupils got in on the act too wearing bear ears, bear T-shirts and costumes and bringing in a bear of their own.
In addition as a thank you to the school choir for singing at Holocaust Memorial Day in the town centre, the Mayor was on hand to give certificates to all those who took part.
Coun Baker said: “It was great to see the pupils getting involved in this project to raise money to help the Children Hospital and thinking of others.
“It was also excellent to show the council’s appreciation for the choir’s singing at Holocaust Memorial Day.”
