Pete James begins producing children’s worship songs and music videos, creating the brand Cheeky Pandas, which was funded through income from worship bookings and an initial supporter. Read an interview with Pete

Cheeky Pandas gathers momentum as the song ‘God Suit’ hits 100K views on youtube and churches across the world start to use the songs.

Covid results in an immediate need in churches and families for digital children’s resources that are both accessible and free. Pete James is granted seed funding to produce Cheeky Pandas resources and the charity Swell Revolution was established with Peter Martin as Chair.

Cheeky Pandas, with the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, becomes the primary family resource for his global prayer initiative, Thy Kingdom Come, gaining traction across the world, from Korea to North America. The brand is trademarked for Europe, and resources are launched for 2021.

Series 2 of Cheeky Pandas TV is launched, with brand new and improved animation in partnership with Wonderborn Studios and Three Arrows, who have a track record with CBeebies among others. New church curriculum activities are launched with Raise Up Faith. Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee gives the theme of faithfulness to thousands of Cheeky Pandas books distributed free to churches, homes and schools. The website is relaunched with even more free downloadable resources.

The Fruits of the Spirit series is an immediate hit, with over 300,000 views on YouTube as well as being streamed across several major TV platforms such as God TV and Minno. Each episode is accompanied by BSL, activity packs, assembly plans and songs to fully equip parents,churches and schools. SPCK, a leading UK publisher, produced five storybooks, a prayer book and an activity book to accompany the series. The Fruit of the Spirit album is streamed over 55k times in 39 different countries. A series of plush bears sell out. There are new buddy episodes for each Fruit of the Spirit, bringing the Pandas together with live action.

Jesus Storybook Bible and Cheeky Pandas launched a major collaboration, covered in both Christian and secular press including the Telegraph, Church Times and on the Songs of Praise. Celebrity readers included Bear Grylls and Mary Berry. We were proud to be recognised for awards from CEVMA and the New York Christian Family Film Festival.

Live events continued at Spring Harvest and the Big Church Festival. As of September 2024 Cheeky Pandas had a mix of content on Minno TV, TBN, Catholic TV, God TV, Living Scriptures, Karong Yippee, Click View and Right Now Media. We also launched ‘Cheeky Pandas and Friends’, with crafts, stories, jokes and all kinds of fun to keep children and families engaged and learning about Jesus.