Friday Folk

TEDDY bears designed and made by a former Burnley woman have taken off on the international market.

Now Janet Changfoot - who lives in South Africa - has been commissioned to design a bear of Africa to be launched overseas in April.

Janet, who emigrated with her family, has always enjoyed art but her personal teddy bears' picnic began when a friend in Johannesburg suggested she should try her hand at toy-making and sent her some patterns.

"I really enjoyed the work and it just developed," she said. "I started making collectable teddy bears with acrylic and they sold well locally but I soon moved into the top end of the market with mohair."

There were some swift and impressive breakthroughs.

"One was when she forged links with some of South Africa's retailers of collectable bears.

"Then she was invited to send exhibits to a fair for bear lovers in Durban.

Janet, aged 40, is the only daughter of Alan and the late Ethel Procter. They lived in the Burnley Lane area, as well as Skelmersdale and Upholland, before emigrating to South Africa. Alan is a retired textile manager who has become a renowned builder of full scale model aircraft in South Africa.

Janet consistently won art prizes at Barden Primary School, Burnley.

The unique look to her bears gives them a loveable quality.

"It isn't easy," she said. "The mohair fabric is extremely expensive.

"I have to take great care and cannot be interrupted when using it.

"If you make a mistake with your air brushing you can ruin a bear which has consumed a lot of time and money."

Her bears go to collectors in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. An Essex shop is also selling her bears and there have been inquiries from other parts of Britain, the United States and Singapore.

Some of her bears have been entered for a British Bear Artists' Award, to be judged in April.

Collectors also know that she never makes more than five in a numbered edition and that she can produce a one-off to order, either in classic or modern look.

She made grandfather and grandmother bears for a golden wedding.

With a big house and family to look after and work commitments to a travel agency and to her husband's business, she has little time for such frivolities as watching TV.

But she does not regret it.

"Making a bear is a form of relaxation," Janet said.

"When I get absorbed it is a total switch-off.

"It is also wonderful to feel that you are making something that people want and love."

Reunion call to youth club gang

TWO couples are searching for people involved in the Blackburn youth club circuit in the late '50s and early '60s so they can hold a reunion.

Harold and Connie Carter and Peter and Gwen Smith are especially wanting to hear from anyone involved in Derby Street Youth Club in Blackburn during this time. Gwen said: "My husband works for himself and suddenly got a phone call from someone wanting some work done. He turned out to be one of the lads who used to go to the youth club."

She added: "We then got talking about a reunion and thought it would be great to get everybody from the youth club circuit together again."

Peter used to be a member of a local skiffle group which toured the clubs.

The couples from Blackburn are holding the reunion at St Stephen's Club, Robinson Street, Little Harwood, on Friday, June 12.

The event costs £7 including a buffet supper. Anyone interested should contact the Carters on 01254 201735 or the Smiths on 01254 662698.

Not a Kushy number

A FORMER Blackburn man is taking part in a sponsored walk with a difference to raise cash for charity.

Brendan Slater, 25, is planning to do a week-long trek in the Hindu Kush mountains in Pakistan.

All proceeds from the trek, in September, will go to the charity Mencap.

Brendan, 25, lived in Downham Street, Wensley Fold, Blackburn, until moving to London a few months ago to work for a computer company. He got the taste for trekking on a visit to Nepal and jumped at the chance to do it again for charity.

He said: "It will allow me to indulge my passion for high mountains and raise money for a good cause.

"We will be trekking about seven hours a day for eight days, up and down continually, so it will be pretty gruelling. The highest point of the trek will be 16,000 feet but luckily there will be a doctor with us."

Brendan, a former pupil of St Bede's High School, Blackburn, has to raise at least £2,000 in sponsorship by July if he is to take part in the trek in September.

He said: "£2,000 is the minimum but obviously I would like to raise as much as possible."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Brendan should contact his mum, Ann Slater, on 01254 582997, or ring 01254 830584. Brendan can also be contacted by e-mail at brendan_slater@ccenter.co.uk

Girls meet again

A REUNION lunch for former pupils of an all-girls' school is being organised for the third year running

The women are from the class of 1949/50, form 4a, at St Hilda's School, Blackburn, and will meet at noon on Saturday, March 14, at the Spread Eagle, Mellor. For more information, contact Ruby Oldham (nee Robinson) 01254 55641.

Roll call for ex-pupils

IF YOU were a pupil at Mansfield High School, Brierfield, from 1978 to 1983 read on because a reunion is being organised.

Hayley Copeman, nee Ashworth, is organising the reunion on May 9 at the Comfort Friendly Inn, Burnley.

Tickets are £2 and anyone wanting to book a place can contact Hayley on 01282 835766.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.