Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Children With Beary Big Hearts

- As vet is voted the top childhood profession, Build-A-Bear Workshop® reveals young people are among the most loving and charitable -

A love of animals has topped a profession poll for children, conducted by Build-A-Bear Workshop. When quizzed on what they wanted to be when they grow up, research revealed that children craved careers as a veterinarian with more than one in ten wanting to work with animals.

Caring professions like teacher and doctor/nurse also featured in the top five chosen careers, providing an insight into the considerate and loving nature of children.

For a child who wants to be a vet, the welfare of an animal or pet is a perfect way to express their philanthropy.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is continually encouraged by the charitable and giving nature of children, and has launched a search for Huggable Heroes into the UK. Huggable Heroes are young people whom Build-A-Bear Workshop recognises, honours and cele-bear-ates for doing amazing things and have made life better for others. These individuals are people who have made extraordinary contributions in their communities.

The Huggable Heroes programme has run successfully in North America for three years and proved so popular that Build-A-Bear Workshop has brought it to the UK. Nominations will be accepted for Huggable Heroes, 18 years old and younger, from now until 14 February 2007.

Last year one Huggable Hero, Anthony, age 15, started an initiative that provided more than 80,000 hats for paediatric cancer patients who had lost their hair. Build-A-Bear Workshop selected Anthony and others from 1000's of Huggable Hero candidates nominated by friends, family, teachers and acquaintances.

According to Carol Weisman, author of Raising Charitable Children, “Recognising children for their good deeds encourages them to continue helping other people. The Huggable Heroes programme honours every single child who is nominated and supports all efforts to make a difference.”

Weisman continues “The chosen profession of vet among today’s 7-11yr olds is incredibly revealing as to a child’s philanthropic nature and shows that the instinct is there to be a good and caring person. Every child has the temptation to be selfish or materialistic but if the situation is addressed in time, the energy can be redirected into caring for others.”

Weisman says, raising a Huggable Hero starts at home and offers these tips to teach children to give back to those in need:

•Children live by example. Include children at a young age in your philanthropic deeds – share your experiences

•Help children decide what causes to support by asking these questions: What makes you happy? What makes you sad or frightened?
How would you change the world? Then donate your time and money to the issues that affect their lives

•Set aside an hour each month to do something with your child to benefit someone else

•Make volunteering fun – include your family and friends

•Reward their good deeds – nominate your child for programmes such as the Huggable Heroes programme

Nominations for the 2007 Huggable Heroes will be narrowed down to 8 regional semi finalists in the UK. Two winners will then be selected from the United Kingdom and named Huggable Heroes.

“The Huggable Heroes programme reflects our commitment to empowering our young Guests to make a difference,” said Build-A-Bear Workshop Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark. “Every day we see Guests coming to our stores and putting so much heart and love into making a bear for a family member, a friend or someone in need. We knew that this concept of giving extended well beyond into community involvement. This programme finds wonderful, caring people and gives them the credit they deserve.”

Each Huggable Hero will receive a prize worth approximately £5,000: £1,400 to the winner’s chosen cause and £4,000 towards an educational scholarship as well as a trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop World Bearquarters in St Louis, America. Here the winners will be honoured for their good deeds, meet the other Huggable Heroes and participate in a photo shoot for the 2008 Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes calendar.

Nomination forms are available online at any Build-A-Bear Workshop store or online at www.buildabear.co.uk.


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For more info, please call Annabel Ward, Liz Harding or Riikka Nivala on 020 7632 2400 or e-mail bears@publicasity.co.uk


Notes to editors:


About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, the company currently operates more than 255 stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The addition of franchise stores in Europe, Asia and Australia make Build-A-Bear Workshop the leader in interactive retail. In November 2004, the company expanded the make-your-own concept from stuffed animals to dolls with the opening of its first friends 2B made® stores, where Guests can make their own doll friends. In April 2006, Build-A-Bear Workshop acquired The Bear Factory Limited and Amsbra, Ltd. adding company-owned stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $362 million in fiscal 2005. For more info, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company’s award-winning Web sites at www.buildabear.com and www.friends2bmade.com.

TRADEMARKS

We would like to thank you for your interest in covering our business. As you write your story, we would ask that you use our full Name: Build A Bear Workshop® and that when referencing the process of making stuffed animals you use the word “make” not “build”. Build A Bear Workshop is our well-known trade name and our registered trademark of Build A Bear Retail Management, Inc. Build A Bear Workshop® should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb.

Abbreviated Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. Entry to the Contest is free. Purchase will not increase your chance of winning. The Build-A-Bear Workshop® Huggable Heroes® contest begins 12:00:01 a.m. ET (05:00:01 GMT) December 26, 2006 & ends 06:59:59 p.m. ET (23.59:59 GMT) February 14, 2007. Subject to the Official Rules (of which these abbreviated Official Rules form part) available with Contest Entry forms in-store at participating Build-A-Bear Workshop locations in the U.S., D.C., Canada & U.K. or online at www.buildabear.com (U.K. residents go to www.buildabear.co.uk). To enter, Nominator must submit an original, printed or typed, 100–300 word essay about someone or themselves, who has made a difference to the quality of life in their community, complete an Entry form and mail together in a SAE to “Huggable Heroes Contest Entry” at one of the following addresses: U.S./D.C./P.R.: PO Box 9160, Medford, NY 11763-9160. CAN: PO Box 45015, 5845 Yonge Street, Willowdale, Ontario, M2M 4K3 Canada. UK: PO Box 1002, Crawley RH10 9LA., UK. To be eligible, entries must be officially postmarked no later than February 14, 2007. Entries must include signature of Nominee and Nominator; and parent/guardian of a Nominee and Nominator if either is not of age of majority in their state/province of residence. Nominator and Nominee must be legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C, P.R, Canada or the U.K. Nominee must be 18 years of age or under on February 14, 2007. Subject to all applicable federal, state, provincial, local laws & regulations. Void outside the USA, PR, UK and CAN and where prohibited. Prizes awarded to Nominees.

All eligible Entries will be judged to ascertain if Nominees qualify as Semifinalists and notified by mail no later than March 20, 2007. The highest scoring 30 Semifinalists will be deemed Finalists and notified by mail no later than April 17, 2007. Finalists may then be contacted by Sponsor and may be required to complete a telephone interview. Finalists will be re-judged to determine the Winners (see Official Rules for details) and notified by mail no later than May 4, 2007. The Official Rules provide full details of the judging criteria and the division of Semifinalists, Finalists and winners across the participating territories.

PRIZES: Ten (10) Huggable Heroes Grand Prizes (see Official Rules for full details) (7 from the U.S./ D.C./P.R., 2 from the U.K. and 1 from CAN): A minimum of a three day/two night trip to a city in the U.S. chosen by the Sponsor for Nominee and one Guest for a professional photo shoot for Nominee to be included in the Build-A-Bear Workshop 2008 calendar. Trip includes roundtrip standard class air transportation from airport nearest to winner’s residence to designated city; minimum of two (2) nights double occupancy standard hotel accommodations, and ground transportation to/from airport/hotel at destination city only. The air transportation, ground transportation, and accommodations will be at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Winner must be accompanied by the parent/guardian that consented to the entry or another family member (over the age of majority in their state/province of residence) that such parent/guardian consents to in writing. Winner and accompanier are responsible for all costs and expenses not specifically mentioned above or in the Official Rules. Winners must be able to travel on a date specified by Sponsor in July 2007 or prize may be forfited. Winner will also receive a $7,500 USD educational savings scholarship and $2,500 USD donation toward Winner’s designated cause. Approximate Retail Value (ARV): $14,000 USD each. (30) Finalist Prizes: A $25 Build-A-Bear Workshop gift card, ARV: $25 USD each. Up to 125 Semifinalist Prizes (In the event no eligible entries are received in a single market, no prize will be awarded in such market): A $15 Build-A-Bear Workshop gift card, ARV: $15 USD each. All Prizes awarded in Winner’s local currency. Total ARV of all prizes: $142,625 USD. Many will enter but only 10 will win.

Sponsor: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., 1954 Innerbelt Business Center Drive, St Louis, MO 63114