Teddies for Tragedies
Children world-wide have loved teddies knitted using this simple charity knitting pattern.
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Teddies for Tragedies is not a registered charity, it has no central
organisation, no rules, regulations, or subscription fees. It is just a
knitting (and crochet) pattern. Most British teddies go to Africa, eastern Europe and Asia, though not exclusively. How it began In 1986 a washable knitted teddy was added to a consignment of medicines going to a refugee camp in the Sudan. The doctors replied "These teddies do more good than the medicines. They cheer the children up, give them hope, and soon they are on the road to recovery" Teddy knitting began, a bag was added, increasing play value and over the years standards have improved, making teddies more safe and durable. Congratulate Audrey Pegrum MBE The award was not given exclusively for distributing Teddies, but we celebrate the recognition of her work to bring thousands of smiles to children.
Internet myth says the project was started
by the W.R.V.S. The archivist at WRVS can't find any reference. What was the charity that took them? If you know please tell.
Teddies have been knitted and distributed for years, without the aid of the internet, but now knitters who can't find a local cause and charities that want more teddies than they can locally produce can get in touch. If you fall into either category, that's what the "keep in touch" page is all about and no one is mentioned on the site without specific permission. Teddies go everywhere. At home, they have been used by the emergency services as instant comfort/distraction for small children caught up in accidents. Abroad, just look at the pictures of the little children on the home page and add millions of similar happy faces. Help make Teddies for Tragedies more well known so that every volunteer and aid worker will take some when they travel; 8 teddies weigh less than a kilo so what's stopping you? We can do it there are plenty of willing knitters and crocheters. Contact the site, if you want help finding homes or know of a need we could fulfill. Thinking of making teddies Read about Safety Standards first, then you'll know your teddies come up to British Standard and be more confident in offering them to charities. There's also a check list with the pattern.Finally Not every child who would love a teddy is tragic. A poor child anywhere, an unhappy child any day has the right to a comforting teddy. The recently launched Teddies sans Frontieres makes it plain that teddies are for any child who would love one. |
