A SCHEME to help primary school children become more aware of the wider world is being launched by a locally-based global offshore company.

Gardline will be launching the Teddy Bear Adventure at the Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival on September 10, aiming to broaden the horizons of youngsters and raise their aspirations by combining education with knowledge of different cultures, countries and working environments.

Twelve primary schools are taking part in the adventure and each school will be given their own Gardline bear at the festival.

During the first week of the new term, each school will run a competition to name their bear. The children will then take the bear on its travels - whether that’s locally, nationally or abroad - taking photographs and writing reports after each trip.

Once back in the classroom they can share their experiences with each other and the other schools taking part, as their reports and photographs will be uploaded onto a website especially set up for the schools - www.gardlinebear.co.uk.

Gardline will also have its own bear who will travel with the company’s staff to share their travel experiences with the children, such as visiting New York, an offshore windfarm, whale-spotting trip or a Brazilian coffee plantation.

During the one-year project, Jackie Dixon in the corporate communications team will be the schools liaison officer, regularly visiting each school to discuss further trips and adventures for their bear. There will also be an inter-schools competition where Gardline will award a small prize at the end of the project at the Maritime Festival in 2012.

The schools will be presented with their bears on September 10 on the south end of the quay at 1pm, and there will also be a stand in the Offshore Marquee over the whole weekend of the festival where visitors can chat about the Teddy Bear Adventure and learn more about Gardline.