Masonic Teddies for Loving Care - our “TLC Appeal"
Click here to go to the Nationwide TLC Appeal website This Important Masonic Charitable Appeal has a simple objective:
For Macclesfield Freemasons to provide small teddy bears to the Accident & Emergency Unit of the Macclesfield General Hospital. 
The teddies are for the medical staff to give, at their discretion, to children who are admitted to hospital in severe distress or trauma. Where the staff feel that a teddy to cuddle will help alleviate the distress of the child, and to assist the casuality staff in their urgent work. The children, when dicharged from hospital, may then take their teddy home.
The idea is simple
Local Freemasons fund the purchase of the teddies, which are then supplied to local A&E units for medical staff to use to calm severely distressed or traumatised children.
The TLC Appeal is fully supported by The Macclesfield General Hospital and especially by medical staff. Over the last twelve months, more than 500 teddies have been given to distressed children admitted to the A&E department. Macclesfield Freemasons are very enthusiastic about the Appeal. And each Masonic Teddy has a new friend too!!  How it works The beauty of our appeal is its simplicity. Through individual Macclesfield Lodges, the local Freemasons buy a teddy lapel badge.
Every lapel badge sold funds the purchase of two teddies, which are then delivered to local Accident & Emergency department. It’s a simple as that!
TLC co-ordinator, W. Brother David Hulme, from the Duke of Connaught Lodge, says, "During the first year of the campaign, we have donated many teddies and have receved very positive feedback from staff, who have expressed their deep appreciation."
Mum writes a big 'thank you' to Macclesfield Masons
“This is a letter of enormous gratitude to everyone who has played a part in the Masonic Hall’s TLC teddy bear scheme.
I am writing this letter to you as I believe many of you will not understand the great impact a small teddy can have on children (and their parents) who find themselves in hospital.
Both of my young children have been fortunate enough to receive one of these teddies. My daughter received hers from Macclesfield Children’s ward, when she was only 6 months old and had to go to Alder Hey Children’s hospital for life saving open-heart surgery. Although Ruby was far too young to appreciate the gift of a teddy bear, I cannot begin to explain how seeing my baby girl in the enormous cot with all the machines around her was made more bearable with this teddy.
This teddy had been given to her by a stranger who cared enough to make that cot in the intensive care unit with a little baby girl, a little warmer and more like home rather than just another patient in a hospital bed.
My son received his when he was in Accident and Emergency and he was so distraught that the nurse could not get near him to bandage his finger. When she brought him a lilac teddy, she apologised for the colour. But Xander didn’t care all he saw was a nice lady giving him a present. He allowed the nurse to bandage his finger, went home, and showed everyone his new teddy. Both of my children’s teddies have pride of place in their beds. Thanks again for all that you have done for my family.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Karen Potts
Tytherington, Macclesfield.”
Benefits for the Local Community in General
The appeal benefits the community through the Accident & Emergency departments who serve them. The use of the teddies at the hospital has been proved to have beneficial effects for the children admitted to Accident & Emergency - by relieving the distress that they face and alleviating the fear of the being treated by complete strangers.
The teddies are used in various ways:
To help the staff befriend the child.
For the child to cuddle.
As a reward for being brave.
By calming siblings and parents of children who have been admitted.
The Medical Staff
The teddies allow clinical staff to help befriend the children and to relieve their distress, allowing the medical staff to administer treatment more easily and quickly. A quote from one A&E Sister “I cannot remember how we used to cope with these children before the Teddies. I hope that you can continue to supply them for a long time. Many children who have received TLC teddies treat them as very special toys. One little girl who suffered serious burns named her teddy “Burnie". Another calls her teddy “Mason". Where the child returns to hospital for further treatment, more often than not their TLC teddy accompanies them, helping to provide them with greater confidence and reassurance.
Benefits for Freemasonry
The appeal is a Masonic initiative and therefore no reward is sought. The simple nature of the appeal has benefited Freemasonry by raising our profile in a positive way.
Public Awareness
The appeal has raised the level of awareness of the contribution made to the community by Freemasonry, a greater understanding of the principles on which Freemasonry is founded, and how those principles are exercised in the modern world. The launch of the TLC teddies Appeal in Cheshire has resulted in a positive response from hospital staff and public. Each teddy carries a tag “Donated by Local Freemasons”, which provides continuous evidence of the principles of Freemasonry in practice. Enthusiasm for this project, within Freemasonry, is growing rapidly. Whether the contribution is financial or practical, our members want to be identified with the Appeal.
Summary
Teddies for Loving Care, the TLC Appeal, demonstrates Masonic principles in a real, active and modern way:
Its activities are for the benefit of the community in general. It directly helps the public at a moment of need - through relieving the distress of their children. It is aimed at children admitted to A&E units, at a time of severe distress and concern for both children and parents.
Conclusion
We are greatly encouraged by the interest that our Appeal has generated in Macclesfield, both amongst our membership and Hospital staff, with whom we are currently working. We believe that the TLC Appeal makes a real and practical contribution to the community in general, and provides a real opportunity for Macclesfield Masons to put before the public one of their important principles in a discreet and meaningful way.
As of February 2007, Masonic "TLC" Bears have made New Friends in the Following Hospitals;
Arrowe Park 360
Countess of Chester 3168
Leighton, Crewe 2520
Macclesfield General 500
Stepping Hill, Stockport 4750
Tameside General 2953
Warrington General 504
Wythenshawe 1250 |
