A RETIRED GP was given a warm welcome in Lydney at the end of a 150-mile bike ride in support of a charity that helps children in hospital.
Dr Jonathan Steel, who is almoner for Gloucestershire Freemasons finished his epic bike to mark the 15,000th TLC (Teddy for Loving Care) at the Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit at Lydney Hospital.
Teddies for Loving Care is a national charity that donates small teddy bears to children who attend a hospital or injury unit and is locally funded by the Gloucestershire Freemasons.
Members of the Forest Masonic lodges were there to support him including John Thurston and his wife Mary, the Chair of the Friends of Lydney Hospital.
The Widow’s Sons, a Freemasons’ motorcycling fraternity, were there to provide an escort over the last stage of the journey to ensure that bear and almoner arrived safely.
Dr Steel was able to present a bear to a boy called Archie who was receiving treatment at the minor injuries unit.
He visited all the minor injuries units in Gloucestershire during the two-day ride.
Starting at Yate he went on to Vale Community Hospital Dursley, Stroud District Hospital MIIU, Tetbury Hospital MIU, Cirencester Hospital MIIU, North Cotswolds Hospital Moreton-in-Marsh, Tewkesbury Community Hospital MIIU and ended his ride at the Lydney and District Hospital MIIU.
Dr Steel said: “15,000 is not just a number. It’s fifteen thousand scared and lonely children in Gloucestershire having been comforted.”
Tim Henderson-Ross, Head of Gloucestershire’s 2,600 Freemasons, told us: “Gloucestershire Freemasons gave over £240,000 from their own pockets last year, much of it going to children’s charities in the county.
"‘Teddies for Loving Care’ is especially close to our hearts.
"One of the strongest instincts is to support our children when they are in difficulty and that is exactly what TLC does.
"We are grateful to the Minor Injury and Illness Units for enabling this to happen and of course for the great work they do for the children in our county.”
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust Matron MIIU Countywide, Lee Iddles says: “We are hugely grateful to the Gloucestershire Lodges for helping us to provide comfort and reassurance at what can be a scary time.
"Thanks to the donations, we can give bears to children when they arrive at our Minor Injury and Illness Units (MIIUs) and they really help us to calm young patients down.
"With our younger patients, we can use the teddies to assess their needs or to reassure them about their treatment and this really makes a difference to their experience.”