ROBBIE has been relaxing and putting his paws up over Christmas and new year.

But our furry friend is now ready to hit the road again and raise awareness of the Can You Spare A Minute? appeal, which aims to raise £50,000 by May 2009.

As Springhill Hospice supporters are aware, this money will be used to refurbish in-patient accommodation at the hospice.

Since the launch last summer, mascot Robbie has met hundreds of people and travelled as far as America and Australia.

He’s also made his mark on a host of celebrities, from Jamie Oliver to television stars and famous faces in football.

Robbie bears remain on sale at Springhill Hospice and its charity shops, the Observer offices and several other outlets.

They cost £5 each and all profits go to our appeal. More than 1,000 bears have been sold already and only a limited number remain available.

We hope to continue a record of Robbie’s travels over the next few months and would love to see your pictures of him out and about.

Robbie was also among the first to sign up for the Observer fun run, which takes place on Wednesday 8 April. He’ll join 300 runners on the 5k circular route from the Fair View, in Broad Lane.

The run was a fantastic annual event in the 1980s. With the help of Andy O’Sullivan and Andem Runners, it’s now back. To ensure your place, complete the entry form at the bottom of this page.