The TLC Appeal originated after an allergic reaction suddenly caused the swelling and blocking of the windpipe of the wife of a Freemason. Her life was saved by the rapid action of the medical staff at an A and E unit, who were able to resuscitate and stabilise her. They are both eternally grateful for the swift and caring attention that she received, but found the experience the most frightening of their lives and speculated on the distress that children must face when visiting A and E units. The idea of doing something useful for medical staff at A and E units was discussed with other local Freemasons, and from that point, the idea of Teddies for Loving Care was born.
The Appeal was launched in Essex in 2001 and has since been adopted by most of the Masonic provinces across England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland, and now the rest of the world. Since the Appeal was founded in England in 2001, more than 2.8 million teddies have been distributed in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Gibraltar, Cyprus and New Zealand. In New Zealand, the programme has expanded out of hospitals to work with rural first responder units. In 2019, teddies were also sent to Samoa during the measles outbreak.
Most of the money raised to fund the Appeal comes from Freemasons themselves through lodge donations, supplemented by donations from grateful individuals and the sale of TLC merchandise such as other teddies and lapel pins. As the TLC Appeal is a Masonic initiative, it has also benefited Freemasonry by raising public awareness of the contribution made to communities, increasing understanding of the principles on which Freemasonry is founded, and showing how those principles are applied in the modern world.
A hospital visit can be a frightening experience for a young child, especially in an emergency. Teddies for Loving Care provides much needed comfort to children in A and E departments, helping to reduce shock and distress. Every child who receives a teddy gets to take it home. Medical staff give bears to children suffering from trauma, injury or illness. They use the bears to befriend children, to reward bravery and, in some cases, to demonstrate upcoming procedures.
TLC is locally managed by Freemasons who volunteer their time to run the scheme. Since its inception in 2001, over 30000 teddies have been given away in New Zealand. One A and E nurse said, “It’s not just a teddy, it’s so much more.”
As a charity, donations from others are always welcomed, but over 99 percent of the funding is still provided by Freemasons. With the help of the Freemasons of the District Grand Lodge of the South Island, teddy bears have now been distributed to every hospital in the South Island and all rural First Responder units. Trekking around the South Island to deliver the teddies was a great reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful country.