Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
News from Blackburn District

 

Masonic Giving To Non-Masonic Charities Evening Wednesday 14th May DMH

Click here to see the story of the redevelopment of Darwen Masonic Hall

 

The 2,500th  T.L.C. Teddy-Bear Presentation

This special occasion is to mark the delivery of the 2,500th …’Teddy with Loving Care’, having been donated to the Accident and Emergency Unit at this hospital, by the Freemasons, was held on :- Wednesday 30th January 2008, in the Upper Reception Area, at The Royal Blackburn Hospital, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, commencing at 10 a.m.

The first of the ‘Teddies with Loving Care’, was a pilot scheme in this area of Lancashire, and began at The A & E Unit at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, on the 20th April 2006, since then the nursing and play assistant staff, in the A & E Unit at The Royal Blackburn Hospital, have reported back that these small … 15 “ Teddy-bears … are the most valuable piece of equipment, they have, to overcome the trauma of an injured child needing treatment.

The Freemasons in England and Wales, have distributed in excess of 2 million ‘T.L.C. Bears’, and this is another successful community project that the Freemasons in :- The Masonic Province of East Lancashire, have undertaken in the past 3 years.

In attendance at this special presentation, was, from;  The East Lancashire N.H.S. Trust, M/s Samantha Nichol, Divisional Director of Medicine, M/s Susan Bowden, The N.H.S. Trust Communications Manager, and M/s Vicki Allen, Accident and Emergency Department Assistant Play Leader. 

The Mayors and Mayoresses or Consorts, of the Municipal Boroughs, of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle District, Clitheroe, and the Ribble Valley, which are all served by this N.H.S. Trust.

The A. P. G. M., W/Bro. Philip G. Mountford, along with the local Masonic District Officers, of Northern Area No 1.    

W/Bro. Ian S. Ashton,  Blackburn and Darwen District Communications Officer, welcomed and introduced the civic guests, then, The  A.P.G.M. W/Bro P.G. Mountford,  gave explained the purpose, of this Masonic Project, and reported on the response from the project Nationally.
On behalf of The N.H.S. Trust, M/s Samantha Nichol, thanked W/Bro P.G. Mountford and all the Freemasons, for their generosity, as these ‘Little Bears’, do a healing job, that no doctor in the hospital can do, that is to :- ‘Remove the fear, of a frightened child, in strange surroundings.’, and then to have more confidence in the procedures, that the Doctor and Nurses, sometimes demonstrate on the T.L.C. Bear first !!
The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Councillor Maureen Mc Garvey, congratulated the Freemasons, by having introduced the initiative into this hospital, and how a 15 inches high soft Bear, can have such a loving effect, on being received by a distraught child.
Then she added, that if she presented a tantrum, would she get a T.L.C.Bear ??

At this point in the proceedings, The District Charity Steward, W/Bro. David Lightbown, handed out memento T.L.C. Bears to all the distinguished guests.

Then followed a very nice Buffet, for all attending, where questions were asked and answered.

  

Photographs show … The Mayors and Masons, with in the foreground, Charity Stewards David Lightbown and Raymond Tattersall, alongside M/s  Samantha Nichol, holding T.L.C. Bears

If you have any new stories you would like to see published here, please contact

WBro Ian S Ashton, District Communications Officer for Blackburn & Darwen. Tel 01254 703666

 

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