We are pleased to say that our Christmas Smiles campaign is still happening this year – albeit with a difference!
Christmas Smiles is all about supporting military children who have a parent serving away from home with the British Armed Forces over the festive season. Our usual events have been cancelled because of the pandemic. But we are thrilled to be partnering with the Build-a-Bear-Foundation to distribute 1,000 cuddly bears to Little Troopers and their mummies and daddies who will be missing each other this Christmas. When these children feel like they are missing their mums or dads they can hug their special bear and feel closer to them.
Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, comments: “Christmas Smiles is such a pivotal event in our calendar. Given that 2020 has been particularly challenging for lots of military families we were adamant that we would find a way to bring some Christmas smiles to children who will be celebrating without their serving parent this year. The partnership with Build-a-Bear means we can deliver 1,000 hugs to British Armed Forces families and we hope this small gesture will bring smiles to the faces of lots of military children this Christmas.”
800 bears have already gone to welfare teams at RNAS Yeovilton, RAF Brize Norton, Catterick Garrison and Kendrew Barracks and we will be giving out the remaining 200 bears via our social media pages in December – so watch this space for more details! There will also be a series of giveaways running across the Little Troopers facebook and Instagram pages.
