Assistant Head of the Devonshire Freemasons, Charlie Yelland and TLC Coordinator, Keith Bower, recently visited North Devon District Hospital on behalf of Devonshire TLC.
Their visit was in support of NHS Day when the work undertaken by all carers, especially during the recent pandemic, was celebrated. The pair were delighted to present the Children’s Unit with special big TLC teddies for the playroom. As well as the bears, limited edition teddy ‘nurse’ badges were given to the medical staff who happily pinned them onto their uniforms and lanyards!
Charlie and Keith heard many examples about the benefits of TLC teddies from Senior Paediatric Staff Nurse, Jane Dickinson, who said:
The TLC teddies can change what can be a very daunting and uncertain arrival onto our ward to something more fun and welcoming! We have a very short amount of time to gain trust before a child goes to surgery and the teddies go a long way in helping us do this.
They were also given a letter from the parents of a little boy called Harley who was in hospital for an operation. It read:
When we arrived in hospital Harley was nervous and unsure, however after meeting the lovely nurses he was quickly reassured. Harley noticed a TLC teddy on his bed and hopped straight up to give him a little cuddle. One of his nurses’ was very attentive and ensured he was well looked after, so much so he named his teddy ‘Jane’ after her.
When Harley came round after his operation one of the first things he reached out for, second only to his Mum, was his teddy
To hear such stories was humbling and the dedication and commitment of the doctors and nurses was awe inspiring. This certainly indicates that the teddies charity is a really worthwhile cause. It definitely makes a difference.
The following day W. Bro Brian Sargent delivered playroom bears and teddy pins to Kingsbridge Hospital. Brian reported that the hospital had named all the coloured bears as follows:
Sunshine – George – Rosie – Susie – Sky – Lilly
All together ten large teddies and 100 teddy pins have been donated to hospitals throughout Devon.
