Teddies needed for bereaved children at funerals

People have been urged to donate teddy bears to support grieving children at funerals.

Hundreds of cuddly toys, which children can keep as a remembrance of their loved one, are handed out each year by staff at Kingsdown Crematorium in Swindon.

But stocks are now very low, and residents are being encouraged to donate soft toys to the Swindon Borough Council-run crematorium on Saturday, when it marks its 60th anniversary.

Zoe Fennell, bereavement services officer at the council, said: "The teddies give them something to focus on, to cuddle and to take home."

About 1,000 toys, each one with a small rhyme, have been handed out since March 2024.

Fennell told BBC Radio Wiltshire that stocks are really low and she is hoping everyone will look in their cupboards or lofts for donations.

At the anniversary event on Saturday, a teddy bear picnic will be hosted by bereavement charity Wiltshire Treehouse, with a story session by local author Kate Claxton.

There will also be a special memorial service for visitors to remember loved ones from across the decades.

Sarah Bear, business director at Wiltshire Treehouse, said: "We know that the crematorium comes with a great deal of emotion for so many on their first visit.

"So we hope, with our small contribution of a teddy bears picnic, we can create an opportunity for positive connections for children and adults alike."

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