An emergency hospital visit can be a frightening experience for a young child. Imagine a first visit to hospital, hurt, upset and in pain. Teddies for Loving
Care (TLC), is a way of providing much-needed comfort to children in this situation. Worcestershire Free Masons has donated over a thousand teddies to A & E Departments, Minor Injuries Clinics and Children’s Wards all over the Province. Particularly in A&E departments, they are helping to reduce the shock and distress of their experience. Every child that receives a teddy gets to take it home.
The Teddies for Loving Care initiative provides unique cuddly bears to Accident & Emergency departments for medical staff to give at their discretion to young children. The bears are used to calm children down, reward them for being brave or using them to demonstrate procedures to the child prior to the intended treatment. Often the bears distract children, so that nurses and doctors can get their jobs done quickly and efficiently.
The work of TLC is funded through the generous donations of Freemasons, their families and supporters of the programme. Many Freemasons also volunteer hundreds of hours each year to manage the scheme, deliver bears to hospitals, campaign to raise funds and increase awareness through events and talks.
There are 47 regional TLC programmes across England and Wales that provide teddies for their local A&E departments. Once a hospital joins the scheme they can replenish teddies on request through their local TLC representative. Some TLC programmes also donate a portion of their funds towards teddies for minor injuries units, children’s wards and hospices; there are even teddies flying on air ambulances!
The TLC teddy has become an invaluable tool for medical professionals and are a real comfort for children. WBro Phil Hannah, of Halesowen Lodge No 5635, after running the operation for a number of years on behalf of the Province, is delighted to be handing over the reins to WBro Steve Eagle, a fellow member of Lodge of Progress No 9893, the Province’s motorcycle lodge. “Steveʼs energy and enthusiasm” says Phil “will help take the program forward in the coming years”
Steve, in his new role, is keen to expand the scheme to as many hospitals as he can. This is where you, our brethren come in. Our challenge is to fund the bears. Steve would be delighted if you would consider, in the coming season, holding a lodge raffle with the proceeds going to the TLC scheme. He can provide a foot high teddy (as in the picture) as the raffle prize. If you feel your lodge would be willing to do this, then please email Steve at worcesterteddies@gmail.com to let him know. Best wishes Steve from us all on your worthwhile efforts, and many thanks to Phil for working so hard in the past few years
For more details on how you can help please visit the site https://teddiesforlovingcare.org.uk/