Everyone's unique - just like Harold

By ALANAH MAY ERIKSEN
A giraffe was chosen as the Life Education Trust's mascot to coincide with one of their philosophies - everyone is unique.

The spots on a giraffe are like a fingerprint pattern - there is no giraffe with spots in the same place.

"We are all very special," Harold says.

"Whether we are a boy or girl, colour or race, we all have a point of difference."

Having a giraffe as the face of the trust encourages children to look up rather than staring at their shoelaces.

Harold gets a thrill out of making children smile.

"I just want to be involved in kids' education. The look on kids' faces when they recognise me is such a sight to see. A couple of kids are petrified but do you blame them? An 8-foot giraffe. But others want to give me a hug and won't let go."

Giraffes are also big-hearted creatures and that encourages children to be kind to other people.

Giraffes have very long necks and we need to be ready to stick our necks out and support our friends, Harold says.

He thinks it's great that parents who have been taught by Harold when they were younger also remember him.

"And the look on tourists' faces when they see me is a real hard case. They've never seen anything like me before, they all want photos."

Harold says it's great when children go home and tell their parents all about the wonderful day they had in the mobile classroom.

"The message is getting out there, much more than a couple of years ago."

At last year's Christmas parade, Harold was even bigger than Santa. The Life Education Trust's educator Chris Turner says they tried to get two Harolds at this year's parade as some children were upset he couldn't wave to them all.

Harold comes in three forms - the 8-foot giraffe suit, a puppet called "Big Harold" and a robot.

Big Harold, who can move his eyes, mouth and head, only comes out to see the older children.

"He's a bit of a treat. Kids look forward to seeing him for ages," Chris says.

Harold the puppet is manoeuvered by Chris.

"The little kids believe he is real, the middle school question 'is he or isn't he' and the older ones love him because they know he is a puppet."

The Harold suit is often seen at sporting events, community fundraisers and school prizegivings.