Fund raisers at a popular community centre are hoping to get their appeal off to a flying start with teddy bears riding on a zip wire.

The Cantelupe Centre, next to St Mary’s Church in the town centre, is in urgent need of a new roof, so they are launching an appeal to raise around £50,000 to pay for it. The launch event takes place at the centre on Saturday 30th July with the support of local MP Maggie Throup, who is herself a teddy bear collector and whose constituency office is just across the Market Place.

Children (or grown-ups) are invited to bring a teddy bear to have a go on the zip wire for £2 a ride, and on completion their bear will receive a bravery certificate. The ride begins from the top of the church tower and finishes in the garden of remembrance near the war memorial.

Organiser Helen Crisp told us, “The bears will be taken up the tower in baskets and attached to the zip wire by one person. For safety reasons no teddy owners will be allowed up the tower.”

The first bear to take the plunge will be ‘Roofus’, the appeal’s mascot. There will also be other attractions, stalls, games and refreshments available at the event, which runs from 10am to 2pm.

The Cantelupe Centre is home for various organisations, including kids clubs, youth groups, elderly people’s get-togethers and groups promoting health and mobility. There is also a Saturday morning coffee bar.

Anyone who would like to donate or help with the fund raising is asked to contact Helen on 07790 876015 or James (0115 923 1329) at the centre.