Teddies for Loving Care Appeal – Nottinghamshire the start

There was a recent article about where TLC is today so perhaps we should also think of its beginnings in the Province The ‘Teddies for Loving Care Appeal’ sums up perfectly Freemasonry in the Community and is without question a charity we should all support. Its origins in Essex are well known but perhaps we should learn a little about its introduction elsewhere. I will therefore recount for you TLC’s introduction in to Nottinghamshire, which is a perfect example of good coming from ‘tragedy’ and the importance of fraternity and visiting other lodges. So in the immortal words of Max Bygraves, ‘Let me tell you a story’.

Let me turn the clock back to 2004 when W. Bro Graham Riche PGd Stwd, of Radcliffe Lodge 5313, was but a Senior Warden. At this time his sons finally left home and his wife decided that the house needed decorating (purging) and to this end asked Graham to put her precious Teddy Bear collection of 20 years, including Steiffs and limited editions, in black bin bags and for safety put them in the garage. Some weeks later in the continuing upheaval Graham was asked, nay instructed, by his wife to clear household rubbish from the garage which he did - assiduously. Yes you have guessed correctly, the black bags including the bears along with others were taken to the local recycling depot! Some days later Mrs Riche asked that the bears be restored to their ‘rightful’ place at which point Graham’s blood ran cold as he realised what he had done! Having been married for many years Graham employed all his experience to delay reinstatement of said bears to their place of honour.

The following day Graham rushed to the dump and needless to say the bears had disappeared although after some discussion the depot operators admitted they had seen the bears, for information all black bags are opened at the recycling depot, and that they had been sent to auction as they were obviously valuable. It being just before Christmas Graham reached his own conclusion but realised – all was lost!

To cut a long story short W.Bro Riche talked to his insurance company and with cooperation from the depot operators a claim was submitted and shortly afterwards a substantial cheque arrived, but then came disaster. Graham opened the envelope containing the cheque and left it on the kitchen table, foolish boy, an hour later Mrs Riche returned home found the cheque and floated it under the nose of Graham who after a lengthy ‘discussion', and again drawing on the skills acquired over a long marriage, managed to reach agreement that they were both equally to blame. Needless to say he never saw the cheque again!

In February 2005 the writer, Graham and our wives were part of a group, organised by the Hertfordshire Wanderers (www.pglherts.org/wanderers) who visited Copenhagen on a short break which included an Installation Meeting and there on the lapels of some of the other UK masons were the little teddy bears which are so useful in identifying supporters of the charity. Graham’s wife after asking a few questions suggested (some would say decreed) that the TLC Appeal, supplying as it does teddy bears to children in trauma in hospitals, would be the perfect choice for the charity for his year in office as Worshipful Master – and also a suitable penance!

Accordingly with the support of the Lodge Committee enquiries were made and though the Province could not adopt it as an official charity, due to the pressure of the Provincial 2007 Samaritan Festival, their support was given for the lodge to act.

The charity started with small beginnings, as we were unsure as to how successful we would be in raising sufficient funds to sustain it over time, and initially teddies were only supplied to the children’s cancer wards in two of Nottingham’s hospitals. In fact the first bear went to a 10 month old baby with major liver and kidney problems called Noah – see picture

Fund raising through the summer of 2005 extended the scope and Nottinghamshire’s TLC was officially launched on Friday18 November 2005, with W. Bro J.S.B.Mather, the Assistant PGM, as its President. Since then the TLC’s coverage has been extended to all NHS hospitals in Nottinghamshire and also to NHS Direct. This has in no small way been due to the tremendous support of lodges across the Province who have taken the charity to their hearts. They have contributed by attending events and not least in sharing their fellowship with the TLC speakers from Radcliffe who they have hosted and supported most generously.

The Appeal is still organised by Graham and the steering committee from Radcliffe Lodge with the full support of the PGM, and more especially, the ladies of the lodge including Graham’s long suffering wife! Funds, some £40K to date, are raised through the selling of badges and key rings and through variety of special events involving the community - thereby bridging the gap between the two.

We commend the TLC Appeal and thank those both masons and non masons throughout the province for their support. This simple charity brings much comfort to sick and distressed children and their families, and greatly assists the doctors and nurses who find the bears a valuable a tool in carrying out their work. It is worth noting that each teddy bear carries a label ‘Donated by local freemasons’ and can reach up to fifteen people via the patient thereby giving them a different insight of Freemasonry and, more importantly, giving each child a very special friend who helped them in a time of need.

W. Bro John Bassford [With ‘appropriate’ input and the sanction of W. Bro Graham Riche and his wife Jill.]