Teddies for Loving Care Nottinghamshire- major update
- webmaster
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
TEDDIES FOR LOVING CARE
What we do
The Teddies for Loving Care initiative provides unique cuddly bears to Wards and 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 to demonstrate procedures.
Often the bears distract children so nurses and doctors can get their jobs done quickly and efficiently.
The TLC teddy has become an invaluable tool for medical professionals and a real comfort for children.
Supported by Freemasons
The work of TLC is funded through the generous donations of Freemasons and their families.
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.
TLC is locally managed by Freemasons who also volunteer their time to run the scheme.
Since its inception in 2001, 3.5 million teddies have been distributed to hospitals throughout England and Wales.
This large TLC Bear is also available for auction at Masonic events where people have been extremely generous to raise even greater funds for this wonderful Charity
TLC Background
· First suggested in 2002 by the Wife of a Mason in Essex.
· Now operates in every province in England and Wales.
· At a recent online TLC Forum TLC was represented by Masons all over the Globe , including from Hong Kong, Gibraltar,
· Donated over 4,000,000 bears. By mid year 2025
· Nottinghamshire formed in 2005.
· Nottinghamshire TLC has donated 72,500 bears.
· QMC have 40,000 Paediatric patients each year.
· Kings Mill last year donated 1860 bears.
· For every bear donated to a child 10- more people share in the experience i.e 18,600 hear about our work from just Kings Mill and this pattern is replicated across numerous hospitals in the Province
Current activity
· Kings Mill is thrilled with our offering. Donate Bears for Children in Hospital in A & E patients and children in wards who are suffering a Traumatic event
· Created Orange bears for situations of bereavement
· Opened opportunities for Bears to be on Ambulances. (Individually wrapped to conform with Ambulance Health & Safety )
· Open Opportunities with the Fire service, the Police.
· Pursuing Opportunity with the Red Cross
· Active in all the Hospitals QMC; City; Kings Mill; Newark.
· The Notts TLC Team are working to bring Bassetlaw Hospital into our Province wide support
The Team.
· Have a Hall representative(s) in all Halls
· Responsible for all activity within the lodges of that Hall.
· An individual link with the hospital in that region
· To work with each lodge to ensure a raffle is made to TLC for £200
· Everyone has a job
Future Challenges
· Communicate with each Lodge to ensure all Masons thoroughly understand this wonderful Chairty.
· Find new markets where we can improve the lives of children.
· Increase and prioritise PR activity to make the public aware of what we do
· Search for other outlets eg Alzheimer’s
· Every Fire engine and Ambulance in Notts
· Liaise with local provinces to share ideas
Eight weeks since the new TLC Notts Team assumed responsibility
What has been achieved?
· 432 bears will be delivered to Notts ambulances
· 216 bears will be delivered to the Fire Brigade for 30 Tenders.
· We have an appointment to visit the Police head quarters
· We will have our first team meeting comprising
· 12 hall representatives,and 6 Core Committee Members
· Direct contact established with Kings Mill Staff
· Invited to the Orchard Centre
The Next steps
· The Budget for the year to finance TLC Notts is around £18,000.
· In Nov 2024, the PGM issued a letter to every all Notts Lodges to consider if they would contribute one raffle perhaps made up to around £200.
· Many Lodges have already donated to this amazing Charity.(Several lodges have already made donations well in excess of this figure)
· Masons are requested to please take away the stories and the TLC Vision and Mission back to their individual Lodges
· If you are a lodge who made such a commitment thank you.
· If not, please say something at your next committee meeting.
To illustrate what a positive impact TLC can make, please read the following case examples
Please note these real life case studies may contain upsetting content
Noah was the very first child in the Province to receive a “Teddy for Loving Care”.
He was only three years old when he commenced having dialysis every single week since then.
He never lets the bear out of his sight, and together they make a trip to hospital.
Noah’s bears bring security and support.
He is Noah’s absolute best friend,
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Helen suffered from a most vicious and painful cancer through most of her young life. Every day was an uphill battle.
A fight she finally lost.
Her parents asked that the love that had been created between her and her bear be always remembered and asked if we would agree for her to be buried with her best friend.
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A letter was written to my predecessor from a mother whose young daughter Emma had lost her Bear. A pink one.
She asked is there any chance it could be replaced saying that you had found it.
Graham jumped in his car straight to Emma’s house.
Arriving he found they were out. So, he waited.
After not to long the mother with the child in a pram. Graham wound down the window and made Pinky the bear wave. to her.
A very tearful grateful girl ran to his car hugged the Bear.
She had been found!!
Everyone cried. and still do when telling
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We now move onto a very local and ongoing story
Brianna is the 14-month-old Granddaughter of W Bro Bob Orridge.
She is the apple of his eye and her adoring parents feel exactly the same
Brianna was struck down with a serious but rare Auto Immune condition called ITP
The symptoms of ITP occur after the child has had a normal type infection as many children get but with ITP the body’s Immune system whilst fighting the infection also attacks the body’s blood platelets
This means that the slightest bump or knock results in extensive bruising and what is known as active bleeding from areas like the nose and mouth as well as into the nappy.
Most ITP cases tend to show one or two symptoms but in Brianna’s case she had multiple symptoms, and the Hospital staff said it was the worst case of ITP they had ever seen
Brianna’s parents took her to Kings Mill and despite it being Mothers Day, they were seen promptly and the doctor assessed her and without hesitation she was taken straight to the Paediatric ward
Given the seriousness of her condition, the medicine she needed had to be given via a canular but due to Brianna’s condition this was a very distressing but necessary procedure, but it was at this point that Brianna was offered a TLC Bear
Her mum, Elizabeth remarked that Brianna had never been interested in Teddy Bears, much preferring to build and knock down blocks
She had to stay in hospital whilst desperately ill and being apart from her loving parents ,and her secure home ,she was understandably traumatised.
Her condition needed regular bloods to be taken.
Finding tiny veins was a long and painful ordeal and at times it needed 5 staff and Mum & Dad to achieve the upsetting but essential procedure.
Brianna did not understand why this was happening
This was a deeply distressing moment, but one ultimately that allowed her to start to feel better but as you can see there was no way she was letting go of her bears
(Looks like a few bears that live at the hospital also came to visit , judging by the various colours of bears around)
She got her first TLC bear which was presented the moment she was admitted to the Paediatric Ward.
This charitable act afforded her immediate sanctuary and comfort
She was violently sick over the red bear and it was quickly replaced by the yellow one in the picture.
Her bears are never out of sight.
The sister on the ward said that without the TLC bears, I don’t know how we would cope.
Mum said the bears have made a very difficult situation much easier, and the family are very grateful to TLC Freemasons and is already looking as to how the family can support TLC going forwards.
Brianna’s mum Elizabeth has kindly sent me some images taken during this distressing time and the following one has brought a tear to the eye of everyone that has seen it
Brianna's Grandad W Bro Bob tearfully said. I thought I knew what TLC was, that was until I saw the comfort value offered to Brianna and my own family.
Brianna’s mum sent Bob some images including the one above and he said “Brianna had fallen asleep cuddling the Bear which almost brought me to tears
Brianna was a very poorly girl and quite clearly the bear gave her great comfort”
(Don’t worry Bob, we’ve all had the same reaction- you can be truly proud of your family)
Brianna’s mum has given consent for these images to be shared to raise awareness of the serious and distressing condition and to support the TLC Freemasons as the simple gift of the TLC Bear made such a difference to her daughter
Elizabeth said “It was the first time she had ever actively put her arms out towards a teddy and kept hold of it. She slept with it and it was a great source of comfort for her and it really enhanced her experience”
“I think the program (TLC) is just an innocently brilliant idea and we would like to help”
TLC Chair (Notts) W Bro Roger Garrett said “And that, Brethren, is my starting point. “ I thought I knew what TLC was.”
TLC Notts mission is to ensure that Masons have a much fuller understanding of what TLC does and as all contributions for TLC have to come from Freemasons, this is imperative if TLC is to continue helping as many people in need
In summary
Brethen Addressing what Bob Orridge said.
TLC IS THE SIMPLEST OF ALL MASONIC CHARITIES.
TLC CHANGES CHILDREN'S LIVES
IT IS AT A VERY SMALL COST. £2.00 PER BEAR
IT'S EASY TO ADMINISTER
IT HAS NO RUNNING COSTS
THIS YEAR – 9000 BEARS WILL BE DONATED TO OVER CHILDREN SUFFERING SOME FORM OF TRAUMA IN THE PROVINCE OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING WITH A CHILD IN TRAUMA WILL BE SHARED BY 90,000 PEOPLE WHO WILL HEAR ABOUT WHO WE ARE. WHAT WE BELIEVE IN AND WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT HOLDS THE POTENTIAL FOR RECRUITMENT SO THAT MORE MASONS CAN SUPPORT THIS WONDERFUL CHARITY
Fortunately Brianna was released from hospital recently but has to return regulary for many blood and other tests and on the 5th April 2025 the TLC Notts Chair Roger Garrett and myself (Provincial Photographer) were so pleased to be invited to Kings Mill to see Brianna and her parents and staff and it was an absolute honour to meet such brave people and we obtained some more images of Brianna and her loving family and it was a perfect example of what an amazing difference TLC makes
Despite all the trauma little Brianna is going through, her family are convinced that the TLC Bears have made a significant positive contribution to help her, and her family through this difficult time
She is an absolute star as can be seen from the images
Please ask about TLC and how you and your Lodge can make a real difference to peoples lives with such a simple gift
If your Lodge is still to donate, please, please do so because TLC makes the most incredible difference and from that very distressed little girl to the beautiful smiling child above was in no small part due to the generosity of Freemasons and the dedication of TLC , nationally and locally
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