The Gurkha Welfare Trust Celebrates Successful Teddy Bear Auction
The Gurkha Welfare Trust recent 2026 Teddy Bear Auction has raised an incredible £2,470 to support former Gurkhas, their families and communities in Nepal.
Following the launch of this year’s auction, supporters enthusiastically bid on a wonderful collection of handcrafted bears, each lovingly created and generously donated by talented bear makers from across the UK. In a fantastic achievement, all 16 bears entered into the auction were successfully sold, making this year’s event one of the most successful to date.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our amazing bear makers whose creativity, skill and generosity made this event possible. Their continued support of the Teddy Bear Auction has helped turn it into a much-loved fundraiser, with every bear telling its own unique story while helping to raise vital funds for Gurkha veterans and their families.
“We are absolutely delighted with the success of this year’s Teddy Bear Auction. Raising £2,470 through the sale of all 16 bears is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the incredible generosity of our bear makers and supporters. Every pound raised will help us continue providing lifelong welfare support to Gurkha veterans, their widows and communities in Nepal. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to making this year’s auction such a success.” Eleanor Harcourt, Community Fundraiser at The Gurkha Welfare Trust
Young bear makers join the auction
This year, we were particularly pleased to welcome the participation of Year 3 pupils from All Hallows School, who worked together to design and decorate their own bear for the auction.
The project provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about charitable giving and the impact of supporting communities around the world, while contributing creatively to their design skills. Their bear attracted plenty of interest from bidders and became a valued part of this year’s collection, selling for an impressive £182.00.
“For our pupils, this isn’t just a craft project; it is an opportunity to learn about the rich heritage of the Gurkhas while making a tangible difference in the lives of others.” Mrs Lear, Year 3 Teacher at All Hallows School
We would also like to thank Mrs Cooney, whose grandchild attends the school and is a regular supporter of The Gurkha Welfare Trust, for her generous support and encouragement of the project.
Our Teddy Bear Auction continues to be a wonderful example of how creativity, community spirit and generosity can come together to make a meaningful difference to our fundraising. We would like to thank everyone who donated a bear, placed a bid, shared the auction and supported the event.