Press Release from Spires Rotary Club:

The Rotary Club of Oxford Spires, that organises the famous World Pooh Sticks Championships, is encouraging people of all ages to celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day on Sunday 18 January 2015 and is also asking for help in finding a new home for the Championships.

The annual event that has been held at Day’s Lock, Little Wittenham for 31 years, and not only raises thousands of pounds for charities but gives people the chance to become a world champion, has become so popular in recent years that it has outgrown the space available and the Club is now actively looking for an alternative venue in or around Oxford.

Karen Eveleigh from the Rotary Club says “The logistics have become more difficult over the last few years as the event has become more popular and the use of the land has changed. Members of the Rotary Club of Oxford Spires and the Rotary Club of Wallingford, Sinodun & District would like to thank the residents of Little Wittenham, the staff and volunteers of the Earth Trust and the Environment Agency for their support at the Pooh Sticks Championships over the last 31 years.”

On 18 January 1882, Alan Alexander Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, was born. He created the first collection of stories, Winnie-the-Pooh, that was published in 1926. Of course, Pooh was based on a bear that AA Milne’s own son, Christopher Robin, was given on his first birthday in 1921 that had been purchased from Harrods. The original bear now lives in the New York Public Library along with four of Christopher Robin’s other toys, Kanga, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore.

Club members will be holding their own Winnie the Pooh party for friends, family and fellow Rotarians. The Rotary Club has come up with some suggestions for celebrating Winnie the Pooh Day and say they would love people to send in pictures and details of their events. Ideas include: have honey on toast for breakfast, create some Winnie the Pooh artwork, dress up in Winnie the Pooh costumes or wear something with one of the characters on, have a Pooh tea party, watch one of the Pooh films whilst cuddling up with a Pooh toy or if the weather is nice why not play your very own game of Pooh Sticks.

Whatever you do, celebrating on Sunday 18 January is the perfect way to get in the classic Winnie mood and don’t forget to send in your messages and pictures to the Rotary Club of Oxford Spires at enquires@oxfordspiresrotary.org.uk.

Further information and to contact the Rotary Club if you can help find a new venue in or around Oxford:

Rotary Club of Oxford Spires www.oxfordspiresrotary.org.uk

email enquiries@oxfordspiresrotary.org.uk

Pooh Sticks Championships www.pooh-sticks.com