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A story charting the ‘bear foot’ adventures of a British bear across Bahrain was the highlight of the British Embassy’s celebration of UK National Inclusion Week.
The annual celebration of workplace inclusion which includes workplace activities to highlight and encourage diversity, brought the staff and the embassy’s extended family together virtually in the creation of the story, titled ‘UK Bear’s Big Day Out in Bahrain’.
“Covid-19 has been a strange time of readjustment for everybody, and we have taken the wellbeing of our staff very seriously, ensuring that everyone remains in contact not just through work but with more leisurely activities,” Roddy Drummond, UK’s ambassador to Bahrain, told GulfWeekly.
“This has been a fun project that has captured the imagination of members of the embassy family. It has been created by people of all ages and nationalities and embraces the characteristics of inclusion and diversity that we pride ourselves on.”
The story centres around Uncle Kingsley (UK), a bear who starts his day with a British breakfast of tea, toast and jam with the ambassador and his wife, Yasmin, before embarking on a day of adventure.
He visits Amwaj Islands, the disappearing island of Jarada, Bahrain Fort and the Royal Camel Farm, making friends with Tariq the dolphin, Fatima the flamingo, Yousif the camel and one of Bahrain’s unique white donkeys, Dilmun, along the way.
After a short nap, he has lunch with Morris the mouse before taking to the skies with Farooq the falcon, who takes him to the Bahrain International Circuit and the Rashid Equestrian and Racing Club.
The embassy’s defence attache, Paul Windsar, 57, who has lived here for three years and created Morris, explained: “The character and worldly adventures of Morris the Mouse were my children’s favourites as they were growing up.
“We would often make up the stories together – I’d suggest a place in the world and the children, who have since grown up, would fill in the gaps and create the weave of Morris’ escapades.
“To be able to ask Morris the Mouse to once more have an adventure and invite UK Bear to lunch at his home as part of the lovely big Bahrain story, was a treat and honour indeed.
“My family affection and ties to Bahrain started in the late 50s when my father arrived with the Royal Navy, returning a little later with my mother. My brother was born here in the 60s and ever since, Bahrain has been part of my life.
“I enjoy how Bahrain seamlessly combines modernity and antiquity – with the F1 going hand in hand with the ancient pearl trail.”
Ewa Thompson, who produced the bear’s F1 adventures said: “Last year, I went with my family to the F1 race and we loved it.
“Unfortunately, as this year’s race was postponed, my three children and I decided to travel there using our imagination. And, of course, taking UK bear with us. We had great fun and lots of laughs creating the adventure story.”
After a visit to Nurana Island, with Hani the horse, Kingsley meets some new aquatic amigos and heads to the National Museum before concluding his adventures in the vibrant Shawarma Alley with some shawarmas and fish ’n’ chips with Cateeja the cat.
The embassy’s vice consul, Wasmiya Ali, 33, said: “I brainstormed with my five-year-old to come up with the character of Cateeja and the story of what the UK bear would like to do at the end of a long and tiring day. Being in Bahrain, we feel that shawarmas are the ultimate comfort food, hence our choice of location- Shawarma Alley.”
Each leg of the trip was written by a different staff member, based on their own favourite places. Dawn Aldred, Wasmiya, Nada Bader, Janet Campbell, Yasmin, Stephanie Moore, Samantha Staines, Ewa and Paul inked the various adventures, with colourful and creative illustrations provided by Dawn Bowskill, Elizabeth Furlonger, Tegan MacPhail, Hamsheed Mohammed, Gavin Staines, Ewa and Nour Zenaty.
“It was great fun reading each story and then trying to capture the author’s vision of where their character was in Bahrain,” Gavin said.
Cheryl, Harry and Aimee were the editorial assistants who came up with the titles and Christine McKenzie Ross brought them to life with her calligraphy.
Janet, who came up with the original idea and edited the story said: “The initial idea stemmed from a memory of a silly story game I played as a child with my sister.
“By May embassy staff were largely working from home and many of us missed the usual face-to-face interaction with our colleagues.
“The story was just a fun idea to help us to continue to connect through something other than work. For me personally it was also recognising, in a very small way, the warm welcome I have received here in Bahrain.”
To check out the story, visit @britishembassybahrain on Instagram or scan the QR code to download a copy!
