A COLLECTION of cuddly teddy bears have been doing their bit to raise cash for a children's charity by joining the workforces of more than 30 Colchester businesses.

The Colchester NSPCC Business Group's The Bear Diaries fundraiser asks firms to donate £30 in exchange for a lovable office teddy bear for the office.

The Build-a-Bear backed scheme then tasks businesses who take part with documenting the daily lives of their bears on social media using the hashtags #WFHBearDiaries and #NSPCCBearDiaries, whether they're helping to bear the burden of a Zoom conference, or making a tea round for colleagues.

The fundraiser has taken on a slightly different slant due to the the nationwide lockdown and closure of many businesses, but firms have still been getting involved and posting photos online of their bear's exploits.

Katie Skingle, chairman of the group and owner of Kat Marketing, said: “We know during these hard times that putting a smile on people’s faces is so important and that’s why we decided to bring back The Bear Diaries with a twist."

The cub who has the most interesting fortnight will win £250-worth of vouchers for their company.

To find out more or donate, visit colchesternspccbusinessgroup.org.uk/bear-diaries.