YOUNG children in Peebles are being encouraged to join in a national campaign to donate their teddies to refugees.
The Happy Feet mother and toddler group is hosting a Teddy Bears' Picnic in support of Project Paddington.
Thousands of people have already joined the campaign and scores of schools have got involved,.
Regional co-ordinators have volunteered to collect teddies across the UK and people have pledged support from as far away as the United States, Dubai and New Zealand.
"A local co-ordinator and good friend Cheryl Scougal came to us about it," said Victoria Westwood of Happy Feet.
"We are using Happy Feet as a drop off point for teddy bears if anyone would like to get involved in the actual project but we thought it would be fun to add the teddy bear picnic element to it so that mums and children could enjoy themselves whilst taking part in something that is really worthwhile."
Project Paddington was set up earlier in the month by a Sheffield mum after seeing photographs of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi drowned on a Turkish beach.
Joy French was only expecting her Facebook initiative to be a small-scale venture .
The idea is for children to choose a teddy bear, write a message to go with it and send it to a refugee child. The teddies can be sponsored by family and friends, and all money collected goes too.
Project Paddington takes its name from the bear in Michael Bond's classic book.
The story relates how Paddington fled from 'darkest Peru' as a stowaway in a lifeboat taking with him only his hat, briefcase and marmalade. 
It goes onto explain that Paddington was orphaned in an earthquake which destroyed his habitat and he was then cared for by his Aunt Lucy. When she could no longer look after him and moved to a home for retired bears Paddington sets sail for England.
Why did Paddington choose to go to England? His Aunt Lucy reassuringly told him: "Long ago, people in England sent their children by train with labels around their necks, so they could be taken care of by complete strangers in the countryside where it was safe. They will not have forgotten how to treat strangers."
Victoria said: "So with few belongings, just like the current refugees we see on the television and in the newspapers, Paddington arrives in a new country after a long and perilous journey.
"Hopefully we can help provide a bit of comfort to a child who has found itself in a strange country a long way from home and everything that they know."
Every one is welcome to attend the Teddy Bears' Picnic at the Drill Hall in Walkershaugh, Peebles on Friday, September 25 from 10.45am.
For more information go to the Happy Feet mother and toddlers group Facebook page and for general information about Project Paddington check out the website
www.projectpaddington.com"