The vibrant “Teddy Bears' Picnic at the Beach” topper, lovingly created by volunteer Wendy for the 2025 Hospiscare Mail Trail, was found burnt and melted over the weekend.
One of Exmouth’s beloved woolly postbox toppers has been destroyed in a suspected act of vandalism, and the local community is both heartbroken and furious.
The vibrant “Teddy Bears' Picnic at the Beach” topper, lovingly created by volunteer Wendy for the 2025 Hospiscare Mail Trail, was found burnt and melted over the weekend. Before the fire, the topper featured an adorable scene of teddy bears enjoying cakes by the sea - a joyful addition to Withycombe Village Road and a proud part of the trail.
The Mail Trail is a unique fundraiser that sees postboxes around Exmouth “yarnbombed” with hand-knitted and crocheted scenes, raising money for Hospiscare, a local charity providing specialist end-of-life care across the area.
“We’re shocked and incredibly sad,” said Clare Suttie, one of the organisers of the trail. “Each topper is handmade with love and hours of work by volunteers - and every one is raising vital funds for Hospiscare. This wasn’t just damage to a piece of wool. It was a blow to our makers, our fundraiser, and our community spirit. But the trail goes on, and we won’t let this stop us.”
Organisers are asking the public to show their support in the face of this senseless act by donating to the fundraiser — even a small contribution helps. The topper may be gone, but the campaign to raise funds and smiles is stronger than ever.
It is hoped that the topper will be replaced, but as the Royal Mail postbox is quite damaged, we are awaiting confirmation on this.
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