IF YOU went down to Build-A-Bear at intu Braehead at the weekend you would have been in for a big surprise.

On Sunday more than 50 families and their teddies gathered for a Teddy Bear’s Picnic party to raise vital funds for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – better known as CHAS.

Families were treated to a visit from the Build-A-Bear mascot and a colouring competition to win a giant teddy bear. CHAS community fundraisers and volunteers also spent time engaging with the public to encourage them to sign up to gather their furry friends and host their very own picnic to help raise funds for the national charity.

Jonathan Clegg, community fundraiser for CHAS, said: “Three children die every week in Scotland of a life-shortening condition, and at present, CHAS is only supporting one of those families. It is our mission to be there for every family, but to do that we need to raise more money to fund more specialist care providers to be able to reach them all.

“We rely on the incredible generosity of the general public to fund our services and fundraising events such as the Teddy Bear’s Picnic help us on this mission.

“I’d like to thank Build-A-Bear and intu Braehead for their amazing support and all the families who pledged to host their very own picnic.”

CHAS is the only charity in Scotland that provides hospice services for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions. The national charity offers palliative care and respite for the whole family via its two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch, and via its CHAS at Home service.