Paddington Bear welcomed at Norwich Cathedral

Norwich has officially welcomed its newest resident when a brand-new Paddington statue was unveiled by STUDIOCANAL in the grounds of Norwich Cathedral.

Paddington Bear welcomed at Norwich Cathedral

Arriving just in time for February half-term, the unveiling event was attended by local schoolchildren, Cathedral choristers and the Dean of Norwich, as everyone gathered to  welcome their favourite bear to the city.

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, said:

“Norwich Cathedral is delighted to host a Paddington statue. Paddington, the bear from Peru, is known for his kindness and curiosity and is loved by all ages. We look forward to welcoming all those eager to have a picture taken alongside him.”

Sitting proudly on a bench near the Cathedral’s Herb Garden and dressed in his signature red hat and blue duffle coat, Norwich triumphed over 90 other towns and cities vying to provide a home for this specially commissioned statue.

Among the many brilliant competition entries for Norwich’s bid was Laura Palmer, a local primary school teacher.

She shared how Paddington inspired her pupils “to be brave and explore not only new places but also new ideas and challenges, even if things go wrong along the way.”  

Mark Baker, a local parent, also contributed a heartfelt entry that described treasured moments with his Paddington-loving daughter and suggested that Paddington would be a perfect addition to the city, describing it as a “permanent ray of happiness for all ages.”

The Norwich statue is part of the Paddington Visits statue trail, which has seen 23 statues appear in cities, towns and beauty spots all over the UK and Ireland since October last year.

The trail has been a huge success, with fans from all over stopping for selfies with Paddington in locations from John O’Groats to County Mayo, to Chester.

Norwich makes it the 24th and STUDIOCANAL has partnered with Ordnance Survey to help fans find the statues. For more details, visit Ordnance Survey’s website.