Big Support for Bears in Schools

Great War uniformed bears donated to primary schools by ordinary people will be a big boost to children’s learning in the final year of the Anzac Centenary according to Australia’s leading veteran associations and charities.

The RSL, National Servicemen’s Association and Soldier On are supporting a national campaign to allow people to donate Australia in the Great War bears and learning support tools into primary schools across Australia.

Bears to Schools is a national initiative that uses the hugely popular collectable bears as flexible learning props to engage children in the stories of the Great War and service in a non-threatening way. It is designed to help young people explore the people and times commemorated in the Anzac Centenary.

Head of Australia in the Great War, Stephen Davie, says local clubs and branches of the major veterans’ charities will be offering businesses and individuals the opportunity to purchase and donate bears to local schools.

Each donated bear comes with a special information card that details the service or campaign represented by the individual bear as well as the details of the donor and the charity involved.

“This is really a great way for people to show their support for the education of our young,” Mr Davie said. “The cards tell the bear’s story of service and will be used in the classrooms as well as when the bear is taken home by kids.”

Anyone can get involved in the initiative. Mr Davie believes business people will see it as a wonderful promotional opportunity, while individuals such as school families or community leaders will see it as a way of giving back to their community.

As well as acknowledgement on the bear’s information card donors will receive a certificate of thanks as well as recognition on the Bears to School community website that will be launched in March this year.

Each bear education pack costs just $99.00 – the standard retail price for the collectable bear – and a donation will be made to the participating military charities to support their work with veterans and the community.