Just one week into the Evening News Teddy Bear Appeal and £1,000 has already been raised thanks to the generosity of readers.This means more than 300 children in distress can be given a cuddly teddy bear by paramedic to calm or distract them.

Rebecca Gough

Just one week into the Evening News Teddy Bear Appeal and £1,000 has already been raised thanks to the generosity of readers.

This means more than 300 children in distress can be given a cuddly teddy bear by paramedic to calm or distract them.

Two of the biggest donations have been generous cheques for almost £360 each, and with the teddies costing as little as £3.60, this money alone will buy 200 bears.

These have come from Wroxham Lions Club who fundraise for charities across the county, and Bishop Herbert Lodge, a freemason lodge in Drayton.

Bob Walker, secretary for Wroxham Lions Club, said: “We support youngsters as far as possible and some time ago there was a smaller scheme with the police where they used to do the same kind of thing so for us it's a natural progression.

“I don't think there's anything more important than making a child feel better because if a child's involved in a car accident where a loved one has been quite hurt then it could scar them for life.

“I imagine we will contribute more as the funding becomes available.”

A week ago the Evening News teamed up with the East of England Ambulance Service to launch the appeal.

In the past paramedics would hand out teddy bears to children either in need of medical treatment or if their loved ones needed help.

However due to funding issues this practice had to stop, until now.

A week later there are several collection tins placed at stores such as Jarrold, on London Street, Sainsbury's on Queens Road and Starbucks on Haymarket.

Bill Holdsworth, charity steward in the Bishop Herbert Lodge, Drayton, said: “We focus on children as much as we can and we saw the appeal and knew it was something we had to respond to straight away.

“We saw the appeal and thought it demanded a sufficient response.

“It seemed to demand immediate action and fitted with our focus of trying to protect children in our local community.”

The appeal will run for the next few weeks and personal donations are also welcome as well as those from businesses.

A big thank you to those people who have already donated. They are:

Mrs Doreen Revell

Various callers to Prospect House

Bishop Herbert Lodge Ladies

Mr Edwin R Claybyn

Mrs B R Collett

Mrs S E Dallimore

Mrs P O Decoene

Mrs J E Joy

N J Lawson Artex Ceilings, Walls and Coving

Mrs J M Rose

Mrs Joan Smith

Mr & Mrs J Marrison

Mrs E M Cole

Mrs D D Read

Mrs P Hardesty

Mrs Barbara McIntyre

The Blackford Family

Mr & Mrs R S Chatten

Mr B J Emms

Mr & Mrs E G Goodwin

Mrs K E Fulcher

Ludgate Consultancy & Training

A full list of the location of collection boxes will appear on the Evening News website, www.eveningnews.co.uk, in the next few days.

Would your business like to support the Evening News Appeal by hosting a collection tin or donating funds? Or do you or someone you know have a story for the Evening News Teddy Bear Appeal? Contact reporter Rebecca Gough on 01603 772428 or email rebecca.gough@archant.co.uk.