The fundraising idea for The Children’s Hospital Charity was a follow-on from the Herd of Sheffield, which was also a huge hit. That took place in the summer of 2016 when dozens of brightly-coloured elephants appeared on our streets for us all to find.
The herd raised £600,000 and the charity hopes that the bears will top that sum. The money raised will go towards the £2.75 million needed for a new cancer and leukaemia ward at the hospital.
The elephants were inspired by the famous “Tommy Ward’s elephant” Lizzie, who hauled wagon-loads of scrap metal around during World War One, and the bears are based on the sculpture that stands in the old bear pit at the Botanical Gardens, where real animals were once displayed.
Bears website: bearsofsheffield.com
1. Tommy Ward's elephant
The famous Lizzie, a former circus elephant who was employed during World War One to haul heavy loads of steel and machinery through the streets of Sheffield. She worked for scrap merchant Thomas Ward Ltd based at Albion Works on Savile Street in Attercliffe. The company supplied 1,000 tons of recycled metal every day to steel firms for the war effort. Ward’s own horses went off to war, so "Tommy Ward's elephant" and camels became a familiar sight. Lizzie's legend and this pose inspired the Herd of Sheffield design. Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
2. Arctic blast!
John Woolley studies the Herd trail map with the Arctic Monkeys elephant in its original spot outside the Town Hall at the launch of the Herd of Sheffield trail Photo: Marisa Cashill
3. Special unveiling
Pupils and staff at Porter Croft CE Primary held a special reveal event to unveil 'All as One' elephant from the Herd of Sheffield. Pictured are the family that helped to buy the elephant for the school with pupils and staff. Photo: Chris Etchells
4. All my own work
Pupils and staff at Porter Croft CE Primary held a special reveal event to unveil their 'All as One' elephant from the Herd of Sheffield. Pictured with the part of the elephant that she helped to paint is Mia Jackson, seven Photo: Chris Etchells