Thrill-seeking teddies had the time of their lives at a fundraising event in York today (Sunday).
They took to the zip wire at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre family fun day.
The wire went from the projection booth at the top of the theatre to the back of the stage, enabling bears, ducks and even the occasional penguin to zoom down – all for a small donation.
Helen Lay, a trustee and box office director at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, explained how it came about: “One of our volunteers has done a teddy bear abseil from their church tower before.
“Could we do that here from our fly tower? But we tried, and the access is a bit tricky.
“So one of our volunteers suggested, how about a zip wire? And we like to do a challenge!
“People have put all manner of cuddly toys down the wire – we’ve had cheetahs, we’ve had teddy bears, we’ve had penguins. And you get a certificate for completion.
“It’s worked brilliantly. When you try something new, it’s always a bit different, but actually it’s worked really well and people have been really pleased getting involved.”
Also at the theatre’s family fun day were a tombola, hook-a-duck and other games plus refreshments.
All the money raised goes to the theatre, Helen said.
“We’re all volunteers and we rely on donations for improvements. So at the moment we are fundraising for a garden room, which will go at the front of the building, and it’s going to have some more toilets too, which are much needed.”