In the first of a series of stories about our volunteers we meet Roger Penny from TLC Somerset.
TLC Somerset has donated over 50,000 teddy bears to local A&E units where they are used to help calm distressed children. The bears are also given to hospices for counsellors to use as ‘bereavement bears’. In addition Roger, who has volunteered for TLC for almost ten years, recently organised a project called “Bear Necessities”. The scheme provided special packs to women’s refuges in Somerset which included the personal items needed to get through the first few days at a refuge. The packs also included a TLC teddy for those children that had to leave home with very little.
Roger’s role with TLC involves regular liaison with his team of reps, who deliver the teddies, as well as coordinating orders for new bears and providing an annual Report and Accounts for the Provincial Executive. On top of all that Roger also arranges presentations and liaises with local charities supported by TLC. In recent years he has been successful in having many articles published in the local press and has even featured on local radio!
Last year, Roger organised a raffle that raised a magnificent £6,000 for projects supporting youngsters in Somerset’s three major A&E Hospitals, which included £2,000 for Yeovil District Hospital.
Roger said:
It is a pleasure to volunteer for TLC. I am confident that I am doing something worthwhile which is valued by clinicians, the young patients and their parents. I would also like to thank my fellow Freemasons, their families and supporters for their generous donations and I would like to pay particular tribute to my area reps who give me so much support