There were teddy bears everywhere — 532 to be exact.
Golden Centre manager Nina Rivett said the knitted, crocheted and felted tiny teddies had been made and donated by members of the public and would be given to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Dunedin Hospital this week.
The project was run in association with The Little Miracles Trust.
Mrs Rivett was surprised and delighted by the response from the public.
"We put the call out, saying [we] wanted 500 tiny teddies for the 500 tiny babies that receive care in NICU at Dunedin Hospital each year.
"The target was a bit aspirational, so we were absolutely overwhelmed by the number of teddies and the kindness of people.
"People rallied together in working groups and there was one lady who brought in 56 bears that she made on her own.
"The response has been just phenomenal."
She said they would be dropped off to the hospital this week.
"Over the next year or so, when a baby is well enough to leave NICU — or graduate, as they say — they’ll each be given one of the little bears, and that can be the first bear they ever receive," she said.
Mrs Rivett said it was "heart-warming" to see the looks of joy on the faces of the thousands of children who visited the huge display.
"We also explained to them why the bears were there, and how they would be adopted by small babies — it’s been a lovely experience."
The Tiny Teddies Show was one of many events held in the Golden Centre, Wall Street Mall and the Meridian Mall, as part of the Three Malls Family Weekend.
Activities included a teddy bears picnic, stories, face painting, a teddy treasure hunt, a marine-inspired art workshop with Luke Easterbrook-Clarke, grabbing selfies with Southern Cosplay characters, a silent disco, a giant jungle-themed colouring wall, and a safari which involved tracking down some of your favourite wild animals.
