Pudsey Bear Comes Home!

Play Tablers across the country support the BBC's Children in Need campaign each year, helping to raise millions of pounds for thousands of needy kids throughout the UK. But one club has a special tie to the BBC charity. Shaun Redman, former chairman of Pudsey Round Table, near Leeds, explains how they became custodians of the original Pudsey Bear.

Children In Need was first staged as a Telethon in 1980, hosted by Sir Terry Wogan. The show raised more than £5 million pounds and started a tradition of fundraising that has gone from strength to strength.

Pudsey Bear made his debut in 1985. Then brown, with a red and white spotted bandana, Pudsey was designed by Joanna Ball, a BBC graphics designer, who named him after the Leeds borough where she was born.

When they heard of the new name, Pudsey Round Table decided they should do something special to mark the fact that their town was now well and truly on the Children In Need map. So they organised a trek from the Isles of Scilly to Shetland, travelling by all different modes of transport, and staying at Tablers houses along the way. They raised almost £30,000 and decided to travel to London for the Children In Need show, to present the cheque in person.

So, sometime after midnight, then chairman Nigel Seary presented the money to the famous host who, in the spirit of the evening, declared that Pudsey Bear should indeed live in Pudsey.

Needing no more encouragement, Nigel left the building with the large bear in his possession!

It then became a tradition that Pudsey Bear lived with whoever was chairman. Shaun Redman, Pudsey Round Table Chairman 1997/98, and member of Pudsey 41 Club, explains Pudsey’s new role:

“Pudsey has been hard at work ever since we got him, raising money for Children In Need and other good causes. He still occasionally goes out on Children In Need night, and he’s also been to a few charity auctions. He collected once on Leeds Railway Station and raised £12,000 in just five hours!”

Unfortunately Pudsey Round Table folded in 1999, in its 39^th year, but Shaun, 50, and now an honorary member of neighbouring Batley, has been custodian of Pudsey ever since.

“Yes, Pudsey now lives with me” said Shaun. 

“We do loan him out, but when you have custody of Pudsey you have to treat him well! We make sure his fosterers have insurance for at least £15,000, as he’s irreplaceable. He has to have his own car seat, and we make sure he's treated well!"

Pudsey, meanwhile, is taking it all in his stride. "Well, I am getting on a bit now", he told us. "But I still like to get out once in a while, to support any charity really. When you get to my age, you're bound to have the odd bald patch, but the kids still seem to love me, and that's what it's all about really!"