The story

It began as a little idea on a Sunday afternoon.

With the nation and the world in such uncertain times, I knew connection, joy and kindness would be a welcome distraction from isolation and forced disconnect. The idea was simple: put a teddy in a window facing the street, pin it on the map, and explore your neighbourhood for the houses taking part.

"If we can just get people outside into the fresh air and sunshine, then we know this will have a huge positive impact on people's mental health and wellbeing."Deb Hoffman, 2020

Having journeyed through the Christchurch earthquakes, I knew how much connection, vulnerability and looking after our mental health matter when everything feels uncertain. The bear hunt turned that into something fun that every age could do inside the limits of lockdown.

What happened next belonged to all of us. Within days it had become a nationwide movement, then an international story, carried by the genuine nature of Kiwis who know how to reach out to each other in a crisis.