Great "She Bear" makes final Whitchurch walkabout ahead of festival
Residents of Whitchurch have no excuse for feeling 'grizzly' with the Great She Bear continuing her friendly prowl around town.
The town’s inaugural Caldecott Festival is taking place on Saturday and the Great She Bear's walk is intended to drum up support for the event which is a celebration of famous Whitchurch illustrator Randolph Caldecott.
The ‘Great She Bear Coming Down the Street’ was drawn by Randolph Caldecott, who lived in the town between the ages of 15 and 21, and depicts the bear walking down Whitchurch High Street with St Alkmund’s Parish Church behind her.
Norma Raynes, chairman of the Caldecott Festival, said: “It’s been wonderful to see our Great She Bear out and about over the past few months, and I know that she’s brought great joy to all the local business owners, residents and visitors she’s met as she’s gone on her travels.
“To see a life size version of this iconic character parade the streets in celebration of one of our local legends has been fantastic, and she is very much looking forward to meeting everyone at the festival next weekend.”
The festival has been designed in honour of Caldecott who lived in Whitchurch during the 1860s and was the inspiration for many celebrated artists including Beatrix Potter, will take place in various locations across the town with activities for all the family – including cartooning and illustration workshops, art exhibitions, a Tate floor draw, and musical recitals.
There will also be a special Bear trail for visitors to take part in throughout the day, with exclusive handknitted bears created by bestselling needlework designer Betty Barden presented to the day’s winners.
Saturday’s event will also see esteemed American author Leonard Marcus join commissioning editor for Walkers Books Lizzie Sitton Senior judge the ‘House that I Built’ competition which has seen hundreds of young people across Shropshire submit their creative ideas for their own ‘dream house’.
And, the event’s closing ceremony will see Shropshire pianist, composer and director of music John Moore perform alongside children from Whitchurch CE Junior Academy.
Caldecott Arts Festival is completely free to attend and will take place on March 19, 2022, when the bells of St Alkmund’s will ring out at 10am to herald the opening.
To find out more about the Caldecott Arts Festival, visit www.caldecottfestival.org.uk or email Info@Caldecottfestival.org.uk.
