19 November 2015

Last Ever Kirkcaldie & Stains Charity Bear Ushered in with Lone Piper

The Kirkcaldie & Stains Christmas charity bear is set to arrive at the Lambton Quay store for the very last time tomorrow.

This year’s bear will be dressed as the store’s doorman, and named Mr Kirkcaldie, after the founder of the store who was of Scottish ancestry.

The special delivery will arrive in a van at the store’s main entrance at 11am, and will be met by the store’s last remaining doorman.

From here the bear will be piped into the store by a lone piper to an area in the Cosmetic department which has been set up as a temporary Bear Shop.

The limited edition 2015 Christmas charity bears will be sold for $24.99, with all proceeds going to The Wellington Hospitals Foundation, which is the official fundraiser for Wellington Children’s Hospital.

Since 2006 Kirkcaldies has produced bespoke teddy bears which have been sold to raise funds as part of store’s Christmas charity promotions. Since 2006, Kirkcaldie’s Christmas fundraising efforts have raised over $243,000 for charity.

“There has been a lot of interest in the last Kirkcaldies Christmas charity bear already,” says Kirkcaldies Promotions Manager, Lyn Tait.

“This last bear will be the tenth bear the store has produced. Over the years they’ve become a real collector’s item,” she says.

“Many customers are eager to complete their collection before the store closes in January,” Mrs. Tait says.

Lyn Tait is one of the very few people who have a full collection of the bears.

“Even Kirkcaldie & Stains don’t have a full set; they don’t have the first bear,” she says.

“The first bear, which was dressed as a doorman, sold out so quickly” Lyn remembers.

The charities that have benefitted over the years from Kirkcaldies Christmas promotions which have included the bears are Wellington Free Ambulance, Wellington Zoo Trust, Wellington City Mission, Arthritis New Zealand and the Wellington Hospitals Foundation which is the official fund raiser for Wellington Children’s Hospital.

ENDS

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