Stawell resident Mavis Radley has knitted a family of teddy bears for the town’s Red Cross to help comfort children in times of distress.
She heard Red Cross at Stawell was looking for knitters to complete the trauma teddies for them to use in emergency situations, such as relief centres after evacuations.
Red Cross Divisional Operations Officer from the Wimmera Division Lyn MacKenzie said the teddies were very popular and beneficial in times of stress.
“Mrs Radley took up the challenge over several months and has knitted quite a few,” she said.
“Australian Red Cross Emergency Services sincerely thanks Mrs Radley very much for supporting them with these very colourful teddies.”
The trauma teddy was established in 1990 when Richard Hamilton, then superintendent of Campbelltown ambulance service, saw a teddy bear given to a child being treated by paramedics in Camden. He then asked Red Cross to provide more bears for children.
