Ed the Bear: Adventures of Shoreham’s intrepid global traveller to be shared in Shoreham Wordfest talk

Since 2009, our eco warrior has been visiting scientists and experts around the world, including braving the Atlantic Ocean on the schooner Moondancer, and the knowledge gained has been shared with schools and others on his return.

Even though his adventures have been put on hold recently, Ed still has a lot to talk about and with climate change very much in the news right now, creator Stephen Savage thinks this is a great time for an update.

Ed is based at Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve and has been visiting schools and events in Shoreham and across Sussex with Stephen for more than 11 years.

Stephen said: “While Ed the Bear is a fictional character, his experiences in this story are all real, the places he visits and the wildlife and people encountered on the way.

“It is a story that is sometimes amazing, sometimes funny and occasionally sad but above all, it is a celebration of the wondrous one ocean that connects us all.”

Edward The Travelling Bear is a family show, part of Shoreham Wordfest and taking place at Ropetackle Arts Centre on Sunday from 10.30am to 11.30pm.

Stephen, a zoologist and author, explained that Ed has visited many people around the world, staying with host scientists, conservationists and educators for a week or two.

“They involve Ed in anything that is happening, creating a snapshot of real time involving amazing wildlife, humorous moments, occasional danger and also witnessing the damage that humans are doing to the oceans,” he added.

“Ed the Bear has had many exciting adventures since 2009. Ed has sat on Antarctic ice with penguins, come face to face with great white sharks and dived on coral reefs and shipwrecks using his dive bubble.

“The idea of the travelling bear was to help connect people to the ocean, amazing wildlife and people and places around the world. I also wanted to help people understand some of the conservation threats that the oceans face today by framing them in a local context.”

In 2009, Ed departed Shoreham and headed off across the sea on what became an immense journey for such a little bear. Concerned about the possible impacts that climate change and other global threats might have on his beautiful floral beach at Shoreham, Ed headed off to see for himself and learn more about how we are all connected by the ocean.

He discovered some amazing facts, for example 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe on land actually comes from the ocean, mainly from tiny microscopic plant plankton.

The illustrated talk is a celebration of the oceans through various snapshots from Ed’s adventures. Tickets are £10 for one adult and child, £5 for additional adult or child. Visit www.shorehamwordfest.com/event/edward-the-travelling-bear-family-show to book.