The history of Ted's Big Day Out!

Ted's Big Day Out! is the annual fundraising day for The Forever Friends Appeal, when people from all across the region take their teddies to work or school and engage in a variety of fundraising activities, to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Appeal in just one day.

The festivities first began back in 1999, when supporters made donations to take their teddies out and about for the day. Local people from across the region quickly took the event to their hearts, so much so that in 2001, over 70,000 participants from across Bath, Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire joined in the fun and celebrated Big Ted’s special day, by undertaking all sorts of fundraising antics and raising over £67,000! Over the years many celebrities have got on board with our annual flag day, with stars including Ross Kemp, Jamie Cullum and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen having all taken there bears out for the day.

On Ted’s Big Day Out! wherever you are in the catchment area of the Royal United Hospital, (and much further a field) you will be surrounded by Big Ted fundraiser's! From businesses to schools, friends and family to community groups, there are ways for absolutely everyone to take part. Your help enables The Forever Friends Appeal to provide state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment equipment and facilities for key departments across the hospital and it allows us to help support the 500,000 people who rely on the RUH for acute care.

	Ted and friends at Bath Post Office!
	Ted meets Richard Wilson at the RUH, "I don't believe it!"
	Ted meets one of the biggest boy bands to hit the charts... Westlife!
	Ted goes Line Dancing!