Teddies for Loving Care
Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) provides cuddly bears to A&E departments for medical staff to give to young children.
The bears are often used by staff to calm children down, reward them for being brave, and – in some cases – demonstrate procedures. The TLC teddy has become a useful tool for medical professionals and a real comfort for children.
Established by Essex Freemasons in 2001, TLC is now a national programme, locally-led by Freemasons across England and Wales. Support and enthusiasm for the initiative continues to grow, with more than two million teddies distributed nationwide to over 200 hospitals.
Most of the money raised to purchase and distribute the teddies comes from Freemasons themselves through lodge donations and fundraising events.
