Yesterday, Big Ted, Neil Beverley, and I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Essex Combined Stewards Messat Howard Hall, Braintree, held under the Chairmanship of E.Comp Peter Hollingsworth, DepGSupt.

At Peter’s kind invitation, Neil and I were delighted to deliver a talk to the assembled members, sharing the origins, growth, and continuing work of the TLC Essex Appeal. We spoke about how a simple teddy bear can offer comfort, calm, and reassurance to children facing traumatic experiences in hospital A&E departments across Essex.

To our surprise and delight, following the talk we were presented with a £225 donation from the Stewards Mess—an incredibly generous gesture that will directly support our efforts to deliver TLC bears where they are most needed.

But the generosity didn’t stop there. After the meeting, two Brethren approached me to say that their respective companies would be supporting the Appeal: one with a £1,500 donation, and the other with a £1,000 annual pledge.

These unexpected and heartfelt offers of support mean so much, not just in terms of funding, but as a reminder of the strong charitable spirit that runs through Essex Freemasonry.

A sincere thank you to E.Comp Peter Hollingsworth and all members of the Essex Combined Stewards Mess for your warm welcome, generosity, and commitment to the cause. Your support will bring comfort to countless children—one teddy at a time.