During the COVID-19 lockdown, families across New Zealand were kept entertained by the nationwide bear hunt phenomenon. The simple gesture of putting a teddy bear in the front window of people’s homes or in other creative locations helped create a magical experience for people of all ages during a challenging time.

To celebrate this, New Zealand Post partnered with NZ Bear Hunt and New Zealand Red Cross for the ‘Share your Bear’ campaign. The public were invited to share photos and stories of their teddies to be featured in a special stamp collection commemorating the nation’s combined response to COVID-19.

The purchase of each commemorative stamp pack included a $3 donation to New Zealand Red Cross. New Zealand Post raised a total of $18,654 for New Zealand Red Cross from the sales of its New Zealand Bear Hunt commemorative stamp issue.

“Thanks to New Zealand Post for your ongoing support to people in need across Aotearoa, and to everyone who has purchased one of these lovely stamps,” says Niamh Lawless, New Zealand Red Cross Secretary General. “Your incredible generosity will allow us to run essential services in our communities, such as Meals on Wheels, disaster response and preparedness, and support to newly settled former refugees.”