In January, 2008, the ‘Teddies for Loving Care’ scheme was extended to the Fire and Rescue Service. This is a first for the Province, following our successes with A & E units, walk-in centres and paramedic ambulances. The addition of this Service promises to be a huge success and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to ‘Freemasonry in the Community’.
All 28 of Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Services frontline fire engines, covering 22 stations from Brackley at one end of the county to Oundle at the other, now carry a stock of bears for fire crews to give to children they encounter in distress. From house fires to road traffic accidents, the fire crews will now have an extra string to their bows when helping young children deal with the trauma an incident brings.
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Bro Mark Douglas (of St John’s Lodge No 3972 in Northampton) for 15 years a firefighter in the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said, “In our daily work we often encounter young children in distress of varying levels. Sometimes children are not injured themselves so do not attend A&E but could have lost family members or loved ones or even all their possessions due to a fire or an accident. These bears will provide us with a great help in the early stages of an incident to give children something to focus on other than what is happening around them.”
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Picture of Bro Mark Douglas |
The scheme has received full support from the County’s Chief Fire Officer and a space has been created at the Service’s Headquarters for a stock of bears to ensure engines are replenished quickly.
The TLC scheme is a great example of Freemasonry really making a difference to the lives of communities through its fundraising and hard work.
Following the presentation of the first batch of 72 teddies to Bro Mark Douglas of Northants Fire & Rescue Services on 19th January, WBro John Payne (TLC Co-ordinator for Northampton) said, “We now only need to involve the police in this natural progression and we will have a full house”