Teddies for Loving Care (TLC)
Teddies for Loving Care show their support for the NHS
Over the past week, Freemasons from across England and Wales have been getting involved with NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day and showing their appreciation through the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) scheme.
TLC is an initiative led by Freemasons that provides cuddly bears to Accident & Emergency departments. As well as helping to calm down distressed children and rewarding bravery, they can also be used to demonstrate procedures, and have become an invaluable tool for many medical professionals.
Over the years, more than three million teddies have been donated to hospitals across the country and over the past week, Freemasons have been paying special visits to see the bears in action and show their appreciation for NHS staff.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire Freemason, Lou Amey delivered a box of teddies to Milton Keynes Hospital Children’s A&E department and thanked staff who have always been extremely helpful to the Buckinghamshire TLC Charity.
Lou met with children’s nurse Juhi Layi and Claire Norton, who also happens to be 2021 winner of ‘Health Care Assistant (HCA) of the year’.
I’d like to thank Claire Norton and her colleagues for working through these difficult times and for their help in facilitating safe delivery of the TLC bears
Durham
Durham Freemasons marked the day by providing a hot beverage and a chocolate bar as a small token of thanks to those who have worked closely with them over the years, particularly during the pandemic.
Those little gifts of kindness from Durham Freemason’s were appreciated by the staff, patients and parents and we’re only too glad to have been able to help. We just wanted to celebrate the NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers and say thank you to all those who have worked so hard throughout the pandemic, putting our teddies to good use and bringing smiles to little faces!
Norfolk
Norfolk TLC were over the moon to receive an invitation to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, for a socially-distanced visit to Roxburgh Children’s Centre.
As well as meeting nurses Nicola and Mandy, they also got to meet young George Cullum who was there with his Mum, Rebecca for his ongoing treatment at this busy day unit.
We are so, so grateful for all the help from Norfolk Freemasons with the bears, we all adore being able to hand them to the children and they never fail to raise a smile. The bears have comforted so many children undergoing or about to undergo an uncomfortable procedure, such as blood tests, injections or chemotherapy. It has been just amazing for our team to be able to help offer comfort to the children with the TLC bears
Somerset
Somerset are celebrating the day by donating their 50,000th TLC teddy!
The leader of Somerset Freemasons, David Medlock joined TLC coordinator, Roger Penny to present this milestone teddy to nurse Kirsty Butler, outside the Accident and Emergency Unit at Royal United Hospital in Bath.
David said “To see the contentment that our bears bring to young patients in distress makes it all worthwhile and we regularly hear grateful comments from hospital staff and parents who find the teddies most helpful in calming their distressed children.”
The teddies make such a difference. The children love them and we are so grateful to the Somerset Freemasons for these thoughtful gifts.
Discover more
Check out the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) website for more information on this initiative, led by Freemasons in England and Wales.
