Teddies for Loving Care celebrated its 25th anniversary on 12 March 2026 by introducing its much-loved teddies into nine paediatric wards across seven NHS hospitals in Essex for the first time. The launch marks a significant expansion to the charity which has comforted hundreds of thousands of children.
The initiative began in 2001, when Neil Beverley of Thames Mouth Lodge in Southend launched the idea of giving small teddy bears to children in A&E departments to help provide comfort during difficult situations. The concept soon spread beyond Essex, with Freemasons across England and Wales adopting the scheme. Today, TLC teddies are used internationally, reaching countries including Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Gibraltar. The programme has continued to grow with the four millionth TLC teddy presented to a child at North Tees Hospital in Durham on 5 October 2025.
The anniversary marks the next step in the evolution of TLC Essex. Until now, TLC teddies have mainly been used in A&E departments. However, hospital staff have increasingly highlighted the need for comfort items on paediatric wards, where children coming in for planned procedures may not have anything comforting with them.
After several years of fundraising and support from Freemasons across Essex, the charity is now able to meet that need. From March, TLC teddies will also be available to children at Basildon, Broomfield (Chelmsford), Colchester, Princess Alexandra (Harlow), Queen’s (Romford), Southend and Whipps Cross (Leytonstone) hospitals.
A launch event took place at Colchester Hospital, with representatives from TLC Essex attending alongside Freemasons from across the county.
The expansion into paediatric wards marks a significant milestone for the scheme that began in Essex and has since grown into a worldwide initiative bringing comfort to children during some of their most difficult moments.
