165 teddy bears to make friends with bereaved children

One thousand pounds will be used to pay for 165 teddy bears to befriend grieving children in Lincolnshire.

The Children’s Bereavement Centre has been awarded a £1,000 donation from Vodafone UK to fund the move.

The charity collected the Vodafone Community Connection Award last month after the store team in Newark chose the deserving cause.

Launched in 2014, Vodafone’s Community Connection Awards have already made a difference to more than 170 local communities across the UK.

Staff say the awards, selected by local Vodafone staff and aimed at supporting local causes with a £1,000 donation, have been used to help fund everything from new equipment for soup kitchens and day centres for the elderly to helping people with disabilities take part in sporting activities.

The Children’s Bereavement Centre provides early intervention support for children and young people (aged 3-18) who are experiencing life-changing trauma due to the death or terminal-illness of someone they love.

The £1,000 award will fund 165 comfort bears for children – to help reassure them when they’re feeling particularly down-hearted or vulnerable.

Rachel Wilson, Children’s Bereavement Centre’s Fundraising Manager, said: “This donation from Vodafone will make an incredible difference to our charity.

"To ensure we are accessible to as many people as possible, our core services are offered free of charge which means we rely very heavily on support like this.

"On behalf of everyone at the charity, thank you for this generous donation.”

Andrea Carr, Vodafone Store Manager in Newark, said: “We are delighted to help Children's Bereavement Centre in Newark.

"They do amazing work supporting local children and their families when they need it most.

"Comfort bears have been shown to help many children overcome at least some of the anxiety which comes with bereavement, so it’s a pleasure and a privilege to give them our support.”