Service Delivery Manager, Andrea Lawlor, proudly accepts TLC Teddy Bears from Freemason David Law. Court Security guards, Danny & Lester kindly help settle the bears into their new home!
David Law, a member of Royds Lodge No 816 in Tomorden, applied to the ELMC Community Fund which resulted in the supply of 144 Teddy Bears to Victim Support as part of our continued support under the TLC initiative.
On Friday 30th January he visited Minshull Street Court in Manchester to formally present the bears to Andrea Lawlor who is the Service Delivery Manager working with the Witness Service and Victim Support based in the building. Andrea is the wife of a Royds Lodge member and our relationship began when he was District Charity Steward for the Rossendale District and as part of their initiative in engaging with non masonic charities and the local community in general. The Teddy Bear appeal (TLC) as you are no doubt aware, was initially launched to offer support to children attending Accident and Emergency units in Hospitals local to each of the Masonic Districts throughout the North West and was funded by selling Teddy Bear lapel badges. As they did not have an A+E associated with the Rossendale District, the Victim Support charity was ideal for consideration to receive their bears under the scheme and thus the relationship began. With the generous support and previous successful application to the Community Fund this relationship continues to date.
The bears are offered to children attending the court when giving evidence and greatly assist in that traumatic process, Duty managers based around the North West also take teddies to offer to children attending similar traumatic interviews in their offices and courts.
Below are extracts from a letter from – Andrea Lawlor, Service Delivery Manager, Minshull Street Crown Court Manchester.
I wanted to send you a heartfelt Thank you for the amazing donation of 144 TLC Teddies! I love them almost as much as the children will!!!
You and your colleagues cannot possibly know what this little bear represents to a small child who is about to give evidence about how they have been abused sexually or violently by somebody they loved and trusted! I see first- hand how these vulnerable children are affected. Something simple like the gift of a Teddy bear can mean the difference between a child being comforted or a child being so traumatised that they refuse to give evidence!
To see a little smile appear on a frightened child’s face when they are given the bear is truly priceless, but believe me, it happens every time! Children are informed when they arrive that they will receive a Teddy bear for giving evidence & being brave, which helps soften things for them. I also design a certificate for the child using personal information gained from family members (IE A love of Disney’s Frozen) which goes perfectly with their cuddly bear! As you are probably aware these bears will not just be used here at Minshull Street Crown Court but at all the courts in Greater Manchester & Victim Support offices.
So we really do get the word out there that the Freemasons are one of our biggest supporters. In these uncertain times (Victim Support have just lost their bid to keep heading The Witness Service to Citizens Advice) its heart -warming to know that some things, like your continued support will remain the same.
So please pass on not only my appreciation on behalf of all the service users but all the other Managers who work within the borough, we really can’t thank you enough!
SoThank you David for acting as our champion and doing all the running around in order to get the bears to us!!
Some of the teddies waiting for the call to action
Some Districts may have had a difficulty collecting for TLC bears, having done so for 10 years plus, due to working all out for the EL2015 Festival. The ELMC, through the Community Fund, wholeheartedly supports Districts needing extra funding for TLC bears to keep this important initiative going.