Knitted ‘trauma teddies’ donated to comfort children at emergency incidents

More than 40 hand-knitted teddy bears have been donated to Wiltshire Police to help comfort children caught up in emergencies.

The bears, often known as “trauma teddies” or “bobby buddies”, were made by Swindon resident Hazel Freeth, who wanted them to go directly to children who need reassurance in difficult moments.

They were collected earlier this month by Wiltshire Police Cadets, who gave up their time to visit Hazel at home and transport the teddies for use by frontline teams, including roads policing officers.

Hazel, who has been knitting since the age of four, said each teddy takes around a full day to make.

She said: “I wanted them to bring comfort to children who need them, and this is what I had in mind when I was making them.”

The teddies are given to children at the scene of incidents such as accidents or crimes, helping to provide a small sense of comfort during what can be a frightening experience.

Cadets Max and Bethan, who helped collect the donation, said: “It’s lovely to see the public supporting the welfare of others and understanding the impact these bears will have on children who may need them.”

As a thank you, they also presented Hazel with flowers on behalf of the cadets.

Lee Stenning, Cadet Lead for Swindon, praised both Hazel and the cadets for their efforts.

He said: “This is a wonderful example of community generosity. Hazel has put so much care into each of these teddies, and they will bring real comfort to children during very difficult moments.

“I’m incredibly proud of our cadets, who gave their own time to collect the bears and say thank you.”