Delivery of teddies to Bedford Hospital will help care for children in A&E

Members of the Beda Widows Chapter, accompanied by BIG TED, delivered another box full of Tender Loving Care Teddies (TLC Teddies) to the hospital, on behalf of Bedfordshire Freemasons.

Nicola Lane, paediatric sister at the hospital said: “We are so grateful to Bedfordshire Freemasons for their never ending supply of TLC Teddies. When a child is admitted to A&E department, it is a very scary environment, and quite naturally children are very nervous. We find the provision of a TLC Teddy helps calm them down and allows the medical team to work with the TLC Teddy to treat the child.”

Martin Wilson, Bedfordshire Freemasons’ charity steward, said: “The Charity TLC Teddies, which is funded by Freemasons, provides TLC Teddies to A & E units, for the medical staff, to give, at their discretion, to children admitted who are in severe distress and where the staff feel that a TLC Teddy will help alleviate the stress and assist them in their work.

“Since TLC Teddies started some 17 years ago, Freemasons have donated over 2,500,000 TLC Teddies to local A & E departments in England & Wales. We receive numerous thank you letters from grateful parents, telling us how the provision of a simple TLC Teddy has comforted their child whilst attending an A & E department.”