Tens of thousands of teddy bears handed to kids at Musgrove Park Hosptial
They're close to celebrating a milestone of giving young people 10,000 teddies, thanks to the work of a local Freemason
Last updated 21st Jul 2024
Nearly ten thousand teddy bears have been handed in the space of 17 years at Musgrove Park Hospital.
'Teddies Loving Care' is a national initiative that first started in the emergency department, and ran by local Freemason, Adrian Halliwell, in a bid to brighten up kids experiences.
The bears are said to be a real benefit to kids in hospital, helping to reduce shock and distress, whilst also brightening up their experience.
To add, every child that receives a teddy gets to take it home to keep.
Adrian started fundraising locally and supplied the first teddy to the Musgrove Park emergency department (ED) in 2006.
Since then, the beats have travelled across the hospital, appearing on the children’s ward, in the plaster room, the outpatients department, and sometimes even going through the CT scanners!
It was only a few weeks ago that they first made an appearance in their Day Surgery Centre.
Louise Mould, a paediatric pre-assessment nurse on the unit, reached out to Adrian.
She said: “We get many children through pre-assessment who are anxious about their surgery or procedure, who would really benefit from having something to cuddle or hold on to.
“I’d heard about the teddy bears in ED and reached out to Adrian to see whether we could have some for the children coming through the Day Surgery Centre – and I was delighted when he agreed!
“The teddies have such a calming effect on the children, which can make it much easier to get them ready for their procedure. Even the older children, who appear OK on the outside, save a smile for when they’re handed a teddy. It can make a very distressing day that little bit brighter for the children coming into our care.”
Patient Brooke was in Day Surgery waiting for a procedure on the day that Adrian came to deliver the teddies, and was the first child to receive one on the unit.
Adrian said: “It was lovely to meet Brooke and her mum, Amy, and to see the first Day Surgery teddy bear find its new home.
“Over all the years I’ve been delivering teddies to Musgrove Park, I’ve received several comments from children and their parents about the difference the teddies have made, and it’s great that we’re able to provide teddies to departments across the hospital now.
“The work of TLC is funded through the generous donations of Freemasons, their families, and supporters of the programme, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the appeal during its time. Back in 2015, we delivered the 5000th teddy bear to Musgrove Park, and the Provincial Grand Master attended the presentation, along with ‘Big Ted’ – he may even make a cameo appearance when we reach our 10,000th teddy!”
The TLC Appeal has supplied over 3.5 million teddies to children across the UK since it started in 2001.
You can find out more about Teddies Loving Care here.