The bears are out in force in Congleton and now the Council’s own Explorer Bear is getting ready to tour Cheshire East.
Congleton’s Bearmania Festival (May-September 2011) is well under way and Cheshire East has purchased its own bear, which is encouraging people to get out and about to take in the sights and sounds of the region.
The Council’s communications team worked with Congleton artist Allie Pottinger to create the bear and it now has pride of place in Crewe swimming baths before touring the rest of the Borough.
It will also form part of the Bearmania trail, which begins at Congleton Town Hall, then leads through nearby villages and finally ends at the town’s Mossley C of E Primary School.
Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity, said: “We are keen to support the Bearmania Festival and encourage residents to get out and about and explore what Cheshire East has to offer.”
Meanwhile, local schoolchildren have been encouraged to use the fibre-glass model bears as a blank canvas to try out their creative skills – with impressive results.
The campaign, which runs until September, was made possible after businesses, Cheshire East Council, schools and other organisations agreed to individually sponsor the bears in a bid to create a similar success to the rhinos in Chester and the cows in Manchester.
The town’s link with bears is buried in myth around 400 years ago, when residents were said to have sold their own bible to buy a bear – a story vigorously denied by locals.
On helping to design the Cheshire East bear, Allie Pottinger said: “I thoroughly enjoyed painting Explorer Bear and being able to highlight some of my favourite places to visit in this part of Cheshire.
“We are so lucky to live in an area with a wealth of hills to climb, winding canals and river walks, interesting historic towns and great halls, parks and the ever-fascinating Jodrell Bank telescope.
“We regularly take our children up Shutlingsloe, near Macclesfield – the ‘Matterhorn’ of Cheshire – and hope Explorer Bear encourages you to experience parts of this fantastic county you’ve not visited before.”
Explorer bear will visit the following locations on the dates specified:
Crewe swimming pool, Flag Lane (August 15-22); Nantwich Library, Beam Street (August 22-29); Middlewich Leisure Centre, St Ann’s Walk (August 29-September 5); Alsager Library, Sandbach Road North (September 5-12); Congleton Leisure Centre, Worrall Street (September 12-19); Macclesfield Library, Jordangate (September 19-26); Poynton Leisure Centre, Yew Tree Lane (September 26-October 3); Wilmslow Library, South Drive (October 3-10); Knutsford Leisure Centre, Westfield Drive (October 10-17).
From October 17, he will remain at Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach.
For more information, visit www.mybeartown.com or www.cheshireeast.gov.uk
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