Britain’s oldest remaining teddy bear manufacturer, Merrythought, has collaborated with SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, to create a teddy bear that will raise vital funds for members of the Armed Forces and their families.
The beautifully British-made collectable teddy bear, named James after SSAFA founder, Major James Gildea, has been specifically created during Merrythought’s 90th anniversary year to support the great work done by the charity.
Fourth-generation managing director Sarah Holmes has said the partnership is close to everyone’s hearts at Merrythought:
James Bear has been crafted from soft sandy-gold mohair plush and features pure wool felt paws. His nose and smile have been carefully hand-embroidered to give him a truly unique, friendly character. The special finishing touch is his pure wool tweed scarf, which has been exclusively woven in England to subtly incorporate SSAFA’s red and blue brand colours.
Rebecca Keaveney, Head of Commercial Operations at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity said:
“We are delighted to be working with Merrythought on this special edition bear. This is a significant year for SSAFA as we celebrate our 135th year of supporting the military community in need – and also commemorate 75 years since the end of the war.
“It is fitting for both of these special occasions that Merrythought has created a bespoke bear, named after our founder, that can be treasured for years to come. We hope that these bears will be passed down through generations ahead, along with the knowledge that the purchase of each one has made a difference to our Nation’s Armed Forces family”.
Merrythought teddy bears are world-renowned, each one handmade in a delicate, 15-stage process which uses the finest skills and natural materials
James Bear has been made to a limited edition of only 1885 pcs, to reflect the year SSAFA was founded, and is presented in a special edition premium cotton drawstring bag.