It takes the members of the Westbrook Trauma Teddies Group one year to knit 500 trauma teddies, making a heartfelt difference in the lives of local children experiencing trauma.

This year’s teddy making has been assisted by a grant of $824 from Toowoomba Regional Council, which will cover the cost of purchasing fibre filling for 500 trauma teddies.

Group leader Erica Paynter said the funding will be very helpful.

The grant will be enough to be able to purchase ten 4.5kg bags of fibre filling.

Erica Paynter said the Community Support Grant funding will allow Westbrook Trauma Teddy Group to spend more time knitting and sewing rather than fundraising for materials.

Based on how long it took the group last year, Ms Paynter thinks it will take 12 months for the ten members to knit the next 500 teddies.

“We have ten ladies – they certainly do an amazing job.”

She said the fastest member can knit one teddy in just three hours and aims to knit fifteen a month herself.

The trauma teddies are handed out to a very wide range of organisations and businesses.

Mrs Paynter said they have been donated to the SES, for instance to assist children’s families who have a roof blown off their house, paramedics assisting children whose parents are unable to be there, guidance officers, families coming out of domestic violence situations, evacuation centres, pathology clinics, dentist clinics, refugee families with children under eight years of age and more.

The grant assessment panel commended the application for demonstrating collaboration and partnerships between community organisations as well as encouraging and assisting community interaction and inclusiveness.

Mrs Paynter said the group is always looking for more people to assist, by knitting, stuffing the teddies and sewing. Members meet once a month for two hours.

Those interested can contact Erica Paynter on 0401 232 148.

This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 9 May 2024.