Spaceteddy treks on to Mt Everest

Months after becoming the first soft toy to survive a trip into space, Spaceteddy has trekked up Mt Everest.

Spaceteddy was so named by pupils at Forrest Hill School on Auckland’s North Shore after he soared into the stratosphere.

Attached to a high-altitude weather balloon, he rose to a height of 28 kilometres before coming back down to Earth.

His out-of-this-world adventure in November 2016 captured the curiosity of the school’s multicultural pupils, deputy principal Angela White said.

To follow up the space expedition, Ben and Ginnene Harvey-lovell – parents of pupils Emily and Josh – took Spaceteddy with them to the Himalayas.

The much-loved teddy bear got plenty of special treatment as he was carried in a backpack to Everest Base Camp at a height of 5500 metres.

Spaceteddy, dressed in a specially made Forrest Hill School Uniform, got to ride on a yak, posed for photos with sherpas and met local school children.

The sherpas even gave him a prayer scarf, to protect him on his journey.

Forrest Hill School held a full assembly to welcome Spaceteddy and the Harvey-lovells back, and watch a video capturing the trip.

Emily Harvey-lovell, 8, said it was a big deal.

‘‘I didn’t think it would be as big as it was, then we saw the video and how good it was for Spaceteddy to go.’’

The Harvey-lovells made a photo album for pupils to see, with explanations about Nepalese culture, such as the use of yak dung as a fuel. White said Spaceteddy’s adventures were all about broadening pupils’ horizons.

Principal John Marwick said Spaceteddy embraced one of the school’s three key values, challenge, and underwater could be his next challenge.