Stories GRIN AND BEAR IT
Thanks to an initiative by Freemasons, more than 2.5 million toy bears have been given to children admitted to A&E departments in the UK. Steven Short finds out more about Teddies for Loving Care
Bear necessities
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hen a child has an accident or gets so ill that a trip to A&E is needed, the last thing on any parent’s mind is packing a bag of things their son or daughter might need at the hospital. They just want to get there – fast. Fortunately, when they do arrive at hospital, a cuddly teddy bear may be there waiting for them. Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) is an initiative championed by Freemasons across England and Wales that provides everyone’s favourite soft toys to A&E wards to be given to children in distress. ‘Many youngsters will be upset about being in hospital, and the bears help calm children down,’ says Helen Bainbridge, TLC Project Officer at the
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FMT Spring 2020
