WHAT with meteorites hurtling towards the planet and the Pope's resignation causing lighting bolts to strike the Vatican, you could be forgiven for thinking that the presence of a giant polar bear on the tube is just another sign of the seemingly inevitable end of days.
But on Friday (Feb 22) commuters found themselves faced not with a harbinger of doom, but rather the opposite as Fulham businessman Giles Dempsey brightened up the morning of many a bleary eyed traveller.
The 36-year-old is undertaking a mammoth fundraising effort to mark 25 years of Red Nose Day, by donning a different fancy dress costume every day for 25 days.
Prior to the polar bear, he had already brought smiles to the faces of strangers dressed as Buzz Lightyear, Pingu and Edward Scissorhands.
"Londoners are desensitized to everything," said the soon-to-be father-of-one, "we travel into work and just keep ourselves to ourselves but if you're dressed up as something like a polar bear or Buzz Lightyear, you can engage with people. I've brought a lot of smiles to people's faces and given a lot of hugs."
As a business director for the Fulham Broadway based marketing agency Billington Cartmell, Mr Dempsey is in and out of meetings, pitches and briefings all day, but fortunately colleagues and clients love the quirky and wonderful money spinning idea, as after day three he had already surpassed his £1,000 target.
He said: "I've got quite a few friends who have been on a few stag dos so they have kindly donated the costumes. It all came about because I wanted to celebrate 25 years of Red Nose Day, as it's such a brilliant charity.
"I did a charity event a few months ago and knew that I wanted to do something again. Everyone has been very supportive, including my wife Karen, who is 33 weeks pregnant.
"I'll not only be going on a romantic weekend away in fancy dress, but also attending my first NCT class in costume.
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