SWINDON Wildcats fans are being encouraged to chuck their teddys when they take on Bracknell Bees at the Link Centre next Monday.

Taken from a popular Christmas tradition in North American ice hockey, Swindon will be holding their first-ever Teddy Bear Toss game.

In support of vulnerable children within the borough, fans are asked to bring a stuffed teddy bear to the game and then toss them onto the ice at the Link Centre when the opening Wildcats goal goes in.

All of the collected bears will be donated to vulnerable local children by Swindon Borough Council.

“We’ve never held a Teddy Bear Toss game before, so we hope everyone gets fully behind it,” said Swindon Wildcats marketing manager Sally Price.

“Wildcats fans have proven themselves to be exceedingly generous and the people of Swindon and the surrounding area never miss the chance to show their charitable spirit, so we’re really looking forwards to introducing Teddy Bear Toss to our calendar.”

The team will be wearing their speciality Christmas jerseys for the penultimate time before they’re raffled off on January 2, and the festive game is traditionally a time that supporters dress up as Santa, but the club are also encouraging fans who haven’t got a costume to wear their Christmas jumpers instead.

Having seen ice rinks covered in teddy bears in America, player-coach Aaron Nell is challenging hockey fans to make it a special evening.

“We really want our fans to get behind the idea and hope that they will bring a bear or two if they’re coming to the game,” he said. “It’s for a really great cause and I hope the event is a success so we can turn it into a real ‘go-to game’ in our regular schedule.”

To find out more about the Cats’ Teddy Bear Toss game visit www.swindonwildcats.com.