44 Thoday Street
Cambridge
CB1 2AS
7th June 2003
Channel 4 Press Office
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
Dear Sir or Madam
I refer to an article published on the Channel 4 News website by Nicholas Glass on 22nd April 2003 in which it is stated that the character of Winnie-The-Pooh was `dreamt’ up by AA Milne. This assertion, though enigmatically evocative, is not entirely accurate. The fictional Pooh of Milne’s stories takes its origins from a teddy bear that was owned by Milne’s son Christopher Robin, initially named `Edward Bear’, which in turn was named after a bear at London Zoo called `Winnipeg’ or `Winnie’ for short. Consequently, Winnie-The-Pooh was based on a real bear.
Although our relationship with current affairs is generally understated and somewhat anodyne, the Disney lawsuit itself has also been a subject of considerable interest for our society. Moreover, our forming a stance on the matter has been hindered by a moderate dislike of all parties concerned, including the legions of lawyers that even now must be preparing to do battle with one another. After much deliberation, we have decided that the best possible way to resolve the disagreement over royalties would be for representatives of the two sides to engage in a brief but decisive game of Poohsticks. We are naturally writing to inform both sides of our suggestion.
After this lengthy and pedantic exposition of Pooh related issues, it seems only fair that we should invite you to attend one of our elevenses meetings so that we might discuss the intricacies of Pooh under more agreeable circumstances. These meetings are held ever Saturday of Full Term at 4 O’clock and your attendance would be most welcome.
Yours faithfully
Dunstan Roberts
Foreign Secretary