Archive for March, 2010

Jigsaws from Orchard Toys Encourage Learning And Play

It’s fantastic to see the imagination and innovation displayed by some of our collections such as the Orchard Toys jigsaws. They truly demonstrate our ethos of learning through play and the great role puzzles such as these can play.

For a real demonstration of how inspiring jigsaws can be look at Abbots Langley Community Centre, in Watford, which has drawn in hundreds of admirers to see a collection of 400 completed jigsaws.

The jigsaws had been assembled by a team of volunteers over the weeks leading up to the event before being carefully transported in separated segments to the display location.

Paddington Bear Still Has the Touch

A number of news pieces caught our attention here this week which prove the ongoing appeal of Paddington Bear.

First of all, everyone’s favourite immigrant from Peru, is back in the advertising world. A manufacturer of marmalade is using him as the face of their brand. They hope his legendary love for the stuff will propel their company into the stratosphere.

On another note a special exhibition dedicated to Paddington and his creator, Michael Bond, opened this month at Reading Museum. Entitled The Life and Times of Paddington Bear, visitors will learn how Bond came up with the idea one Christmas in 1956 and follow his progression from the first book, A Bear Called Paddington in 1958 to his most recent incarnation in 2008.