Hettie the hen at Hamleys toy shop

World famous Hamleys toy shop in London’s Regent Street played host to a very special event over Easter. ‘Let’s Play on the Farm’ featured a variety of farm-themed activities with the store’s famous mascot bears even dressed as farmers.

With an estimated 125,000 visitors to the huge store over the Easter weekend and 15,000 getting involved in the event – it was heralded a great success.

Linking in to the farming theme at the world’s largest toy shop, Freedom Food – in association with

Hamleys

and the RSPCA – launched a competition offering children the chance to ‘Help Hettie the Hen and star in your own animation’.

The competition was promoted in Hamleys online e-newsletter – circulated to 300,000 customers and on their website www.hamleys.com

Children took part by helping develop a personality for Hettie and identifying what she should say to people about hens to help them understand why they should choose higher welfare eggs – with the winner able to work with an animator and help design and star in a short animation that will be used to spread the word. The finished animation will be launched later this year.

Caroline Gauntlett, Freedom Food’s Marketing Manager said

This partnership with Hamleys has given us a great opportunity to reach thousands of children and parents and to educate them about where their food comes from and farm animal welfare issues – but in an engaging and unusual way.