Lou Amey has been a Freemason for many years,
but it wasn’t until his granddaughter showed him the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) teddy bear that she’d been given several years earlier during a visit to the Milton Keynes children’s A&E Department, that the concept came to his attention. He remembered seeing her with the teddy bear when she was quite poorly, but had assumed it was one of her own toys.
The next day he made a phone call to the Buckinghamshire Provincial Headquarters and was put in touch with Mel Shah, who was running the Buckinghamshire Masonic TLC from Beaconsfield.
After meeting with Mel, who at the time was endeavouring to distribute the Teddies to children’s A&E departments across the Province single handed, as well as emptying the donation tins, Lou was honoured to become Mel’s assistant, covering the North of Buckinghamshire.
Donation tins are now finding their way into most Masonic centres throughout the Province; as are a selection of lapel pin badges which can be purchased by way of popping a donation into the collection tin.
Started in 2001, this admirable Masonic charity is now in its 14th year, and to date, has distributed over 1 million Teddy bears to children’s A&E departments across the UK.
Not only do the teddy bears comfort and appease the children, they really do make the nursing staff’s job somewhat easier in appraising and befriending the often distraught kiddies.
Not every child receives a teddy, but those that do, get to keep it and take it home.
The TLC appeal is one of those special Masonic charities that focus on compassion and relief, over need. Lou said “I feel privileged to have an active part in it, and long may it continue”.
http://www.tlcappeal.org/
Lou Amey is a member of Fenny Stratford Lodge 8985
Mel Shah is a member of Marlow Lodge 2752
The picture shows Lou at Milton Keynes hospital with one of the nurses and a TLC Teddy Bear.