Freemasons donate 10,000 teddies to sick kids at Weston General

Weston Freemasons have been supplying the toy bears to the hospital’s A&E department for more than a decade, since the initiative launched in 2004.

More than 800 teddies are given away each year at the hospital to help comfort children who may be in distress when they arrive at the hospital. Children are able to take the cuddly teddies home with them after they leave.

Nationally the Freemasons have donated over one million teddies, under the Teddies for Loving Care Appeal.

Ian Porter, Master of the Birnbeck Lodge, said: “All the A&E staff love the teddies as they can take the children's mind off sickness or injury for a few minutes enabling them to have a proper look at the child. In my view these Teddies are a simple and effective way to distract children from their illness.”

Beccie Watkins, Clinical Lead for the Emergency Department at Weston Area Health NHS Trust, said: “As you can imagine, most children in A&E would be in some distress.

“That’s why we have seen some real benefits from being able to give a child a teddy when they visit our A&E department. It can have a calming effect and also act as an aid for a doctor or nurse to demonstrate to the child what they are going to do.

“We are really grateful to Weston Freemasons Lodges for donating so many of these toys bears over the last decade. It makes a real difference – turning the experience of a visit to the A&E department into one that’s more positive.”