Brave Bears Wanted for the Annual Teddy Bear Parachute Jump 2019

This year’s annual Teddy Bear Parachute Jump in aid of St Michael’s Church Brantham (CO11 1PZ) will take place on Saturday 29 June 2019 in the church grounds. Registration for Teddy Bear parachutists will open at 9:30am on the day with the first jump taking place at 9:45am.

The event, sponsored by Colchester and Clacton Solicitors Thompson Smith and Puxon (TSP) since the first Teddies jumped, has the brave Teddy Bears, sporting parachutes designed and made by their owners, launching from the top of the church tower. Their descent to earth is timed, with the winner being the Bear who remains airborne the longest. Ideally, trainers will have made parachutes for their brave Bears before arriving to jump but there will be a stall at the event for last minute parachute manufacture if needed!

It costs just £2 for a Teddy Bear to jump, and there are prizes of £50, £30 and £20 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively for the brave Bears and their owners. Repeat jumps are just £1, and if you have raised sponsorship for your Teddy in aid of the church your Bear can jump for free. Sponsorship forms can be collected from the back of the church. Refreshments will be on sale, so do please come along and support the church and the Teddies on the day.

The winning Bear in 2018 was 'Bob' with the excellent flight time of 65.40 seconds, very closely followed by 'Thunder Duck' in second place with 64.31s with 'Rainbow' flying into third place with a time of 60.18s.

Pictured with winning Bear ‘Bob’ and his family is Thompson Smith and Puxon Director Sharon Auton (second from right) and Rev Stephne van der Toorn (far right). Sharon said “We are really pleased to be able to support the Teddy Bear parachute jump again this year. It’s a great event and would urge you all to come along on the day and support Rev Steph and the Church.”