Paddington Bear starts charity tour for Horsham-based Action Medical Research

Children’s favourite Paddington Bear paid a visit to delighted young patients at Brighton’s Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital earlier this month as part of a new UK tour to raise vital funds for Horsham-based Action Medical Research.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Aug 2014, 16:24 BST
(left to right) Savannah , Sasha , Saricha Loutu meeting Paddington Bear at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton (Dave McHugh/UNP/ submitted).(left to right) Savannah , Sasha , Saricha Loutu meeting Paddington Bear at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton (Dave McHugh/UNP/ submitted).
(left to right) Savannah , Sasha , Saricha Loutu meeting Paddington Bear at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton (Dave McHugh/UNP/ submitted).

The charity’s mascot, who is set to hit the big screen later this year, spent the morning with kids at the hospital in a bid to raise awareness of the new ‘Bear Miles for Breakthroughs’ campaign, which is calling on the public to support Paddington on his travels by donating through the website www.action.org.uk/BearMiles

Sussex estate agents Cubitt & West also supported the appeal, with branch manager Steven Pike and sales negotiator Jodie Armsby-Ward from the Kemp Town Brighton branch helping Paddington provide bears for the children.

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Every penny raised through the appeal will go towards funding essential research to help save and change the lives of thousands of sick babies and children.

The charity tour will now see the marmalade-loving bear travel to Newcastle, Cambridge, and Oxford throughout August and September.

As well as donating at the website www.action.org.uk/BearMiles, supporters can also keep up to date with Paddington’s big adventure as he travels around the country by following AMR on Twitter at @actionmedres or by visiting www.facebook.com/actionevents.

Every person who donates to the appeal will receive an e-postcard from Paddington thanking them for their generous support.

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Buying 10 bear miles (£10) could fund essential laboratory items such as pipettes; 15 bear miles (£15) could help fund an hour of a research nurse’s time and 38 bear miles (£38) could fund a pioneering research project for an hour.

Sarah Moss, director of communications at Action Medical Research, said: “We are delighted to be taking Paddington on tour this summer to help spread the word about the life-changing work we do here at Action Medical Research.

“He has been at the heart of our fundraising efforts for nearly 40 years and the money raised through the ‘Bear Miles for Breakthroughs’ appeal will enable us to continue helping thousands of sick babies and children.”

Action Medical Research has helped fund some of the most vital medical breakthroughs for babies and children over the last half a century, including the first ever oral polio vaccine, developing the use of ultrasound technology in pregnancy, and discovering the importance of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy to prevent spina bifida.

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The money raised through the ‘Bear Miles for Breakthroughs’ appeal will help fund further research into conditions like stillbirth, epilepsy, meningitis, cerebral palsy and brain cancer, as well as some rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children.

You can find out more about some of the families who are dealing with the trauma of a baby born too early, striving to support a child affected by disability, or facing the challenge of caring for a child with a rare and devastating disease for which there is no cure at: www.action.org.uk/our_research/real_stories