Red Army called on to support Teddy Bear Collection for Perth Children’s Hospital

The Red Army can help bring comfort to children in hospital ahead of Christmas by supporting a Teddy Bear Collection led by students from the Perth Wildcats Sport & Business Program.

The collection will take place at the Wildcats’ home game against Illawarra on Thursday 12 November at RAC Arena, with fans invited to donate teddy bears for Perth Children’s Hospital.

The students hope to collect more than 300 teddies, turning a project developed through their studies into something that can brighten a child’s day.

“We’d love to see a smile on their face,” Sport & Business Program student Wesley Depeiza said.

“It’s making sure everyone’s involved, making sure they’re happy and keeping that good spirit around Christmas time.”

The group wanted to create a project that reflected the Wildcats’ commitment to the community and gave supporters an opportunity to contribute.

“We wanted to come up with a project that built off what the Wildcats like to do for our community,” Depeiza said.

“Obviously, we can give back to the community and also build that connection.”

Inspiration came from teddy bear drives in ice hockey, where fans throw teddies onto the ice to be collected for charity. The students took that idea and began adapting it for Wildcats game night.

“We based it off that idea and built around it to make it more towards our community and our fan base,” Depeiza said.

Their plans centre on a designated collection area where supporters can bring their donations, with a graphic cutout providing an opening for fans to toss their teddy bears through.

It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy an activity together while supporting children in hospital.

Supporters attending the Illawarra game on Thursday 12 November are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear with its tags attached for donation.

Tags are required for health and safety reasons, with the Red Army encouraged to drop off their teddy bear donations at The Y Fan Zone at RAC Arena on game night.

The students are also exploring an option for fans to purchase and donate Wilbur teddy bears at the arena, making it easier to participate on the night.

After the collection, the group will count the donations and organise their delivery to Perth Children’s Hospital.

With Christmas approaching, the group hopes the collection will offer children in hospital a little comfort and a reason to smile.

“We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out,” Depeiza said.

“Everyone helping each other out, that’s what it’s about.”

While their immediate focus is on November’s game, the students hope the collection can grow into an initiative the Red Army supports year after year.

“It would be great to see how big it’ll turn out and where it can go,” Depeiza said.

“I would love to see it become a trend over the years.”

The first goal is to collect more than 300 teddy bears, and the group is backing Wildcats supporters to help make it happen.

“I believe in our Red Army, so we’ll see where it takes us.”

Help the students reach their goal by bringing a teddy bear to the Wildcats’ home game against Illawarra on Thursday 12 November. 

Keep an eye on the club’s channels for further updates ahead of the night.