It’s the fourth Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day 2019, and the organisers wanted to do something a bit different to raise awareness and more money for the local charities. A chance meeting in January with a lady from the Secret Society of Hertford Crafters, a chat with a clever crafting friend and a Polar Bear Yarn Bombing Post Boxes plan was born.
Fast forward to November and St Albans was full of knitting whizzes and crochet experts covertly preparing for Operation Polar Bear Post Box – with instructions to meet at the Clock Tower Post Box at 0930 on Monday 3 December.
Rumours and whispers had started, local businesses had sponsored each of the post box toppers, which were being assembled and housed at a top secret location.
Look out for all 23 post boxes creatively decorated with a polar bear and Christmas theme – most are in St Albans, but you will also find some in Redbourn, Wheathampstead and Harpenden.
You can download a map by local artist Hannah Sessions from the Polar Bear Plunge website – www.polarbearplunge.org.uk
Organiser Clare Suttie said: I have to thank my chief yarner, Candy Stuart, for coordinating this challenge, and coming up with so many original topper designs. I love all the toppers; naturally my favourites are the ones featuring polar bears and there is a fabulous one with a polar bear swimming – perfect!
I hope residents and visitors will take up the challenge to find all the boxes, share some photos on social media using #polarpost and most importantly, make a donation either using the QR code on the post box tag, or from the comfort of their sofa when they get home using the fundraising link on the Virgin Money Giving websitehttps://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PolarBearPlunge2019
Gail Carman, of Macpro Design & Print Ltd, a family run company, based in Fleetville added: We are very pleased to be sponsoring a Postbox Topper and help raise money and awareness for three fantastic charities.
A reminder of the 2019 charities we are supporting!
Earthworks St Albans Registered charity 1067139 ; http://www.earthworksstalbans.co.uk/
Earthworks St. Albans is a registered charity that offers trainees, often with learning disabilities or mental health issues, work experience and training in horticultural and land-based skills.
The Ollie Foundation Registered charity 1167116 https://theolliefoundation.org/
A charity devoted to stopping teenagers and young people from taking their own lives. The OLLIE Foundation (One Life Lost is Enough) funds suicide prevention skills training for any individual or community that wants it, especially those interacting with young people, or young people themselves.
The Counselling Foundation Registered charity 1014988. https://counsellingfoundation.org/
A leading charity that has provided counselling and counselling training for the better mental health of our communities in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire for over forty years, enabling people on low incomes to have access to affordable, long term counselling which is not widely available elsewhere
Businesses who have sponsored the postboxes:
Atlas Translations, MyMustard, Rayner Essex, The Barefoot Accountant, DigitalJen, Joanne Todd from Norwex, Rebecca Sessions of physiospecialist.co.uk, Sweet Charity Marketing, Redbourn Auto Solutions, Alex Kremer (Calm Family), Louise Brennan of LAC Antenatal Care, the team at Total Legacy Care (TLC), the Indigo Tree, The Business Community St Albans (TBC), MacPro Design and Print, Rocket Girl Coaching, Catherine Jones of Flowers by Catherine, and MCE Herts.
Join in on New Years Day for the Polar Bear Plunge – Book your tickets to plunge or spectate – here's one we made earlier 😉
