A cute and creative Ballybofey boy has won the chance to name Ireland’s next big toy – along with a starring role in a popular advert.
Lewis Evans is just five years old and he can already add ‘toy creator’ to his list of talents!
The imaginative boy was the winner of a special colouring competition run at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in partnership with Tesco Ireland.
Lewis dreamt up the name of Tesco’s newest teddy – Cedric – and the bear has already won the hearts of TV viewers in a sweet ad campaign.
Lewis was attending Temple Street for day surgery when he took part in the competition. Little did he know that he would win the overall prize.
Lewis’ mum Deborah told Donegal Woman: “Lewis was awaiting surgery for a straightforward removal of a small cyst when a play therapist told us about the colouring competition.
“Lewis decided on naming the bear Cedric. I didn’t think about it much after that, until we got the call to say he had won.”
Tesco Ireland
Deborah didn’t realise how big of a deal this competition was, until Lewis won a selection of his favourite Blaze toys and Monster Machines, before being asked if he would star in his own video.
The Evans family – dad Stephen, mum Deborah, Lewis and his baby brother Alex – travelled to Dublin at the beginning of August for the filming, which was scheduled alongside a follow-up appointment at Temple Street.
Deborah said Lewis eased into the filming process naturally and soon got used to the cameras to tell his story.
“Lewis is very outgoing and very social, once he warmed up there’s no stopping him,” she said.
Tesco Ireland
Thankfully Lewis is doing great after his neurosurgery. “It was a day case and he is 100% fine now, thank God,” said Deborah.
Lewis got to play with a prototype Cedric on the day of filming and is looking forward to getting his own bear and one for baby brother Alex when they are officially manufactured this year. Many other children and parents are hoping to purchase their own Cedrics after the heart-warming ad campaign.
All proceeds from the sales of Cedric bears will be donated to Temple Street from Tesco. The supermarket has been a charity partner of Temple Street since 2014 and has raised over €3 million euro so far to help the children’s hospital purchase life-saving medical equipment for its young patients.
As for when Cedric will be out in stores, Tesco are simply telling fans to ‘watch this space’!
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