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Highland Hospice charity mascot Bobby the Bee receives fan mail from USA


By Val Sweeney

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Highland Hospice mascot Bobby the Bee received a letter from the other side of the Atlantic requesting an autograph.
Highland Hospice mascot Bobby the Bee received a letter from the other side of the Atlantic requesting an autograph.

The much-loved Highland Hospice mascot, Bobby the Bee, may be a familiar figure at fundraising events for the charity in the region.

But now he has also caught the attention of a young fan on the other side of the Atlantic.

The charity received a letter from a youngster called Ramsey in the USA sending him a big hug.

"Wishing I could meet you some day,” wrote Ramsey who lives in Arkansas. "I’m collecting autographs from mascots all over the world.

"If you could send yours, that would be great."

The letter from a fan in the USA.
The letter from a fan in the USA.

The charity has duly obliged as fundraising director Andrew Leaver said he was amazed at the request.

"We know Bobby is hugely popular in our area, particularly among children, but we didn’t realise his reach was quite that far," he said.

"He is an international superstar!"

He said the mascot had first been introduced about 10 years ago to raise the profile of the charity and help at fundraising events.

"He is very hardworking and has never been furloughed!" he added.

In 2017, Bobby was immortalised in a children’s book written by one of the charity’s volunteers, Jim Blyth, and illustrated by Tanja Russita.

Bobby’s Run tells the story of how Bobby and other fundraisers helped rebuild the organisation’s inpatient unit by taking part in challenges and events, gaining support and sponsorship from those around them.

It was inspired by the hospice’s chief executive officer Kenny Steele completing the Inverness Half Marathon in 2013 in the mascot outfit.


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