Annabelle Annabelle is a careful, aware bear. She is doing the Footsteps programme with her parents and grand-parents, so is often asked to think what to do when they are out walking. She has chosen to wear this waistcoat and a dangle tag during the winter as she knows it makes her easier to see. Some of her friends are a bit mean to her - they show off their new black coats which have big buttons and are very fashionable and call Annabelle 'boring'. Annabelle feels sad about this. She would like to wear her pretty coat too but knows the waistcoat is safer.	Barnaby Barnaby works for a vehicle breakdown and recovery company. His clothing has been provided by work and he is happy to wear it as he knows it makes him easier to see when he is working in the road. He also uses his work jacket if he's cycling at night and has chosen a bright orange cycle helmet, as this makes him even more visible.
Clarence Clarence and his mother walk to school every day, whatever the weather, as it keeps them fit and healthy. It also gives them an opportunity to practice doing Footsteps. Clarence's mother asks him lots of questions and involves him in decisions when they are crossing the road. Clarence chose a warm snuggly coat to wear as he gets cold. He particularly likes the hood, as it keeps the wind out of his ears.	Dan Daredevil Dan is a big strong bear who used to think that high-viz clothing was for wimps. Dan likes to ride his bike really fast and sometimes he does wheelies to show off to his friends. He used not to wear his cycle helmet but now he has asked for a new one for Christmas.
Ebenezer Ebenezer is not the same as the other bears. He's a polar bear with a white coat and is used to living in a cold, snowy environment. On his visit to Britain he will be quite visible against a background of green and brown but he may have a problem if we get snow this winter!	Ferdi (Ferdinand) Ferdi is a fire-fighter with Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service. Like Barnaby his uniform is provided by his work and is designed to make him visible to drivers, as he often has to work in the road. Sadly Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service personnel have to cut more people out of crashed vehicles than they rescue from fires. This means Ferdi and his fire-fighter friends are working in the road by day, by night and in poor weather conditions. This is why it is so important for them to wear a uniform with reflective strips, to catch car headlights and make them more visible.
Zoe Zoe is a panda bear. Her Daddy is a scientist who has come to the UK from his home country of China to work at the University. Zoe lives in the Zone and walks to school with her mummy, Annabelle and Annabelle's mummy. Zoe and her mummy are not used to so much traffic and it is also strange for them as traffic drives on the right where they come from. That is why it is very important for them to follow the Footsteps programme and learn how to cope with traffic here. Zoe speaks some English as well as her first language of Cantonese and is learning more quickly. She is happy to have such a good friend in Annabelle as sometimes she feels a bit lonely and misses her friends back home. Annabelle helps her in school and has given her a lovely orange wristband which glows in the dark and will help to make her more visible when they are walking on dark mornings and afternoons. Zoe's mummy has also bought her a bright yellow cycle helmet for when they are cycling.

Dressing-up box

This is a box containing a selection of high-viz clothing which can be used to create a 'Be Bright Be Seen' fashion show, play/sketch, assembly etc. To borrow the bears or this resource please ask your pupils to write to us to invite the teddies to visit, saying why they would like them to come. Send letters or emails to the Road Safety Team.

Discussion questions:

• Do you think it is fair of Annabelle's friends to call her 'boring'? Why do they do this? What should she do? Are they real 'friends'?
• Which bear is least likely to be seen by other road users and why? Do you have any advice for this bear?
• Why might Clarence’s hood cause him problems when he's walking to and from school? Do you have any advice for him about this?
• Look at Dan Daredevil Bear carefully. Can you think why he has now changed his mind about wearing high-viz clothes? What risks used he to take? Why do you think he did that? Do you think he has learned his lesson now?
• If we get snow this winter what advice would you give to Ebenezer?
• Do you think Ferdi is more visible than Barnaby? Why do you think this?
• Do you think Zoe is more likely or less likely than the other bears to make a mistake when out walking? Why do you think this?
• If some-one is upset, because their friends have been mean to them or because, like Zoe, they are home-sick or missing some-one, can they concentrate fully on what they are doing?
• Do you think a brightly coloured cycle helmet is more or less safe than a dark one, or is it the same?