rivers2cross

Meet #bowelbear Vincent with no prizes for guessing where he is! He is owned by Kristine Smith, who has lost both her dad and father-in-law to bowel cancer.

Kristine has named her bear Vincent after the Van Gogh, as she doesn’t think the #bowelbear has blessed with a huge amount in the ear department! Best idea of naming a teddy to date. It’s a great photo, but Kristine still has a challenge to send me a photo of Vincent #bowelbear showing his ears…

We have been friends for three years since Kristine bought the Lives & Times book. She has been incredibly generous and supportive during this time, especially with buying the various items I sell to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK (Beating Bowel Cancer Together).

Like me, Kristine is also a massive fan of The Alarm, and she typifies the support I’ve had from, and the new friends that I’ve made through the band in recent times. It’s been a big change for me, coming out of my shell and gaining so much from these new friendships.

I always look forward to seeing Kristine each year at The Gathering in Llandudno, but sadly she won’t be at the next one in February. This will affect my fundraising sales, as Kristine could sell ice to a polar bell, and it never takes her long to get someone to buy something off me.

The idea behind the bears is to help raise awareness about bowel cancer, which is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, and some funds for Bowel Cancer UK at the same time. I am donating all proceeds raised from sales to the charity. The bears are available in the online shop.