TO celebrate 63 years since the creation of the beloved fictional Bear from darkest Peru, Barrow’s St George primary kids created their own Paddington Bear figures.

The Year 3 class spent the afternoon of June 11 building their own models of Paddington, complete with their own suitcases and marmalade sandwiches.

This project was conducted with the British Library which was marking the anniversary of Paddington, who first came into print in 1958.

The art class was closely linked with other aspects of the pupils’ work, including geography, as they discussed what they would have in their suitcases if they were travelling to any country in the world.

Furthermore, the use of shapes also played into the school’s learning of angles in maths class.

Deputy headmaster and Year 3 teacher Karen Stringer said: “Our year three class really got on board with the project and were very keen on celebrating the character of Paddington.

“The British Library has put out several little projects recently and the celebration of Paddington was one we wanted to do.

“We’ve worked with them on a few little projects before.

“The pupils were asked to design their own suitcases, just like Paddington, and then they would decide what they would take with them if they were travelling to another country, just like Paddington did from darkest Peru.

“It really got them interested in the books of Michael Bond and the stories he wrote.

“It was good for them to think what it would be like if you were going to a different place and what you would do if you were immigrating to a different country.

“For myself it would be a little snow drop, to hope that winter was finally over.”

“They also got to design a little figure of Paddington.

“They used some little toggles from Amazon, just like Paddington, and we used some origami for the little hats.

“We used empty match boxes for the suitcases and small pieces of felt for the sandwiches.

“As a little bonus, it was good for them to see how things fit together. This was linked with some of the other things we do in maths and geography as well.

“As well as being fun, it helped the pupils appreciate what we have in our culture, and what they would keep hold of if they could go somewhere else.

“It also helps children who came to this country to remember those things from home and appreciate the different walks of life.

“Like Paddington has his jar of marmalade, we might bring some Yorkshire Pudding, or tea, or sweets.

“Something to remind us of England.

“Tomorrow we will be studying different countries and looking at other cultures.

“It’s all part of a series of little things we’ll be doing to broaden their minds of the world, and hopefully inspire them one day to travel it when Covid is over.

“We are hoping to do this project all month and put together a little exhibition at the end of everything we made.

“All part of drumming up interest for Paddington and the lovely stories of him.”