MORE than 6,000 teddies have been distributed, including a number to Stratton Community Hospital, through the Masonic charity ‘Teddies for Loving Care’.

Teddies for Loving Care is a Masonic charity which was formed in the province of Essex in 2001. The idea came about when the wife of a Freemason was taken seriously ill and on her recovery she was so grateful for everything the hospital had done she and her husband started TLC.

The idea is to give teddies to infants and young children when they enter hospital A&E departments in a distressed condition to help calm them and thereby make the work of the staff far easier. The teddies are often given treatment too and go home with bandages on the same place as the injured children.

The Freemasons charity, the Masonic Charitable Foundation, supports the scheme in all provinces of England and Wales and recently the three-millionth teddie was donated. This was at Peterborough City Hospital by the secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, Doctor David Staples.

So far Freemasons in Cornwall have distributed 6,665 teddies to hospitals throughout the county with the nearest to Granville Lodge being Bude and Stratton hospital. All money raised and donated to the scheme is by Freemasons, their families and friends.