Bear Cottage recently hosted its annual fundraiser Superhero Week, with 1800 Projects supporting the NSW-based children’s hospice with displays and stickers.   

1800 projects managing director Ben Browning told Sprinter that the company was first called upon to help theme the Bear Cottage’s Christmas party eight years ago – and what started as a simple favour turned into a cherished tradition.

The company ended up decorating the kids’ wheelchairs as part of the festivities, and the “Pimp My Ride” station was born. The kids and families loved it so much that it became a key feature of 1800 Projects’ annual involvement in the Superhero Week kick-off event.

Every year, the company creates a range of superhero-themed decorations, giving the kids the option to choose their favourite hero. It then zip-ties these decorations to the wheels of their wheelchairs. 

But Browning’s introduction to Bear Cottage came even earlier than that.

“The partnership came about a few years ago when my son, who was little then, had a kidney disease and one of my friends connected me with Bear Cottage just in case he needed to go there. It turned out that my son was okay, but I kept the relationship with Bear Cottage ever since then to support the great things that it does,” he said.

Ever since then, Browning and the team at 1800 Projects not only volunteer each year to bring a “touch of superhero magic” to the children by creating profile-cut PVCs and stickers to dress up wheelchairs, but also support Bear Cottage with events signage such as Santa displays, backdrops and t-shirt prints.

“We make Superhero number plates for them and jazz up their wheelchairs with Superhero designs on PVC offcuts to help reduce waste. These designs get zip tied to the wheels of their wheelchairs. The smiles on their faces, from seeing the final products, make it so worthwhile,” Browning said.

1800 Projects used a range of its solutions to create the final products. Its Canon Colorado M5 was used for printing stickers, while its Océ Arizona GT was used to print on PVC sheets, which were then cut on its Summa F1832 Series flatbed cutter.

“It’s very humbling to be able to support Bear Cottage and it’s also a good opportunity for us to give back to the community. Being part of Superhero Week and supporting Bear Cottage is a rewarding experience for everyone involved. It’s a testament to the incredible power of community and the difference we can make when we come together,” Browning said.

“We are immensely proud to support Bear Cottage and look forward to many more years of bringing smiles to the faces of these brave children and their families.”

Click here to support Bear Cottage and the cause.

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