Super-Teds

Around 35 children brought their favourite teddies during the week of Ted's Big Day Out.

Donations made by the visiting teddies will go towards providing state of the art diagnostic and treatment equipment for the hospital.

And it appears the teddies became an extra friend for everyone.

Felicity Evans, supervisor at Lea Pre-School said: "Ted's Big Day Out is a good way for the children at Lea Pre-School to learn about helping others and to understand that some people need to use the services of the hospital."

Meanwhile, teddy bears of all shapes, sizes, colours and gender were the order of the day at Pewsey Leisure Centre on Friday.

Children from the Puddleducks pre-school took part in a teddy bears' picnic in aid of the Royal United Hospital, Bath, Ted's Big Day Out appeal.

Since Ted's Big Day appeal was launched in 1999 many thousands of pounds have been raised to help pay for diagnostic and treatment equipment for the Bath hospital and its children's centre.

Last year alone the teddy bears' day raised £65,000, a target the organisers hope has been exceeded this year.

At Pewsey about 20 children from Puddleduck's toddler group that still has a few spaces left at its Monday and Friday afternoon sessions held a teddy bear's picnic in the Shak youth club premises where the group meets.

Chairman Ann-Marie Martin said: "We did it two years ago and it was a big success so we decided to do it again."

More than 60 teddies donned parachutes and plummeted from the heights of Lacock Abbey to raise money for Ted's Big Day Out.

Children and staff at Lacock primary school created the parachutes and then took their teds to the abbey on Friday.

Blessed with fine sunny weather and a good breeze, the descent proved a great success and raised £84 for the cause.

It is the third year the school has organised a teddy parachuting session and as time has gone on, the parachute technology has improved.