It’s less than a week to go until the NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day on 5th July 2021.
There are lots of ways to get involved. How are you celebrating the day, led by the United Grand Lodge of England?
Teddies For Loving Care {TLC), Northumberland are fully behind it and celebrating their involvement with the NHS by donating specially commissioned TLC pins to NHS staff who are responsible for handing out the bears in the various NHS facilities across the Province.
The Team continue to work tirelessly donating bears to any NHS unit that requires them, as well as undertaking various fund raising activities. Recently they were able to respond to a request from Dermatology OPD at the RVI, adding another NHS unit to the progamme.
TLC is a national programme, locally-led by Freemasons across England and Wales. Support and enthusiasm for the initiative continues to grow, with more than three 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.
The bears provide much-needed comfort to children in hospital departments and wards, helping to reduce the shock and distress of their experience. Every child that receives a teddy gets to take it home.
Alasdair Watson, APGM and Chairman of TLC Northumberland, explained that the gift of the Teddy distracts children from what is happening to them, often at a time when they are in unfamiliar, distressing circumstances without their family to support them.
TLC Northumberland is looking to recruit highly motivated, creative and dynamic individuals to act as TLC Building Ambassadors to take responsibility for TLC fund raising in their respective buildings. So Building Ambassadors can be identified they will also be given the new pin, with the first being presented to W Bro Dave Watson by W Bro Dennis Frazer shortly. WBro Dennis can be seen in the photo with the latest bears and NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day banner.
Think you have what it takes to take on this important and interesting role, and help make a difference to a child’s experience in hospital? Then get in touch with TLC Northumberland at tlc@pgln.org.uk and one of the team will get back to you to discuss it further.
If you have a story, event or news item you would like to have published on the Provincial website, please get in touch with the Provincial Communications Team at news@northumberlandmasons.org.uk