Ready, teddy, jump, leap of faith for daring bears
Parachuting teddies will be in SAS-style "who bears wins" action as they make the leap from the tower of a Telford church as part of a community fun day on Saturday, July 6.
Soft toy parachuting will be among events at the fundraising event at St Michael's Church in Madeley from 11am to 4pm.
"It's a community festival called Heavens Above, and this year we have a theme of Animal Magic," said Celia Walden, wife of vicar the Rev Alan Walden.
"There will be a dog show, and abseiling from the tower, at £20 a go, open to anyone from Year Four upwards.
"We have a magician, an escapologist called Mark Harrington, and an animal fancy dress.
"For the teddies parachuting we have a flyer which was given out to some of the local schools, with instructions on the back on how to make a parachute."
The construction kit involves one bin bag, eight pieces of tape, eight pieces of thin string, and one willing teddy bear or soft toy.
"We have a few brave adults at the top of the tower chucking the teddies off wearing their plastic bag parachutes. There will be prizes for the most on target, best parachute design, and the best dressed teddy.
"The local John Fletcher School choir and ukulele band is coming along, and we also have a Telford-based steel band."
Other attractions at the event, organised by the church, are a bouncy slide, various stalls, and refreshments.
"Hopefully a fire engine is turning up, unless there is an emergency obviously, and the police are due to have a stall.
"I hope it will bring families along and be a fun day."
