Mid August saw a cheque presentation for the amount of £1000 to W.Bro Greg Smith, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, on behalf of the Teddies For Loving Care appeal, at Holywell Lodge. The magnificent total was raised by W.Bro Phil Stewart of Seaton Valley Lodge No 6239, which meets at Seaton Delaval Masonic Hall, who decided to undertake a 15000 feet freefall sky dive at Peterlee for the charity.
Teddies for Loving Care provides unique cuddly bears to 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.
The work of TLC is funded through the generous donations of Freemasons, their families and supporters of the programme. 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.
Phil explained “The TLC is a charity I have supported many times over the years. Somewhere in my loft there is a Teddy from a time my daughter was in hospital and in recent months both my granddaughters have also been recipients, I have seen the value of these teddies in their faces and that of others.
