An assortment of cute and cuddly knitted Trauma Teddies have been very kindly donated to the police from a lady in Monkstown, Co Antrim.
An idea which originated in Australia, ‘Trauma Teddies’ are used to help calm children who may find themselves caught up in distressing incidents like fires or car crashes. They are a source of comfort as well as distraction for little ones.
PSNI Larne has posted on Facebook, thanking the knitter for her kind donation.
“When the Sarge said the new recruits were downstairs and that they were the cuddliest ones he had ever met, well we were a little hesitant to ask just how exactly he had come to that conclusion. Needn’t have worried, it was in fact recruits of the woollen variety,” said a police spokesperson.
“More often than we like, police come into contact with children in distress through various circumstances. It can be a difficult situation to manage, as much for police as for the child involved.
“Having a small brightly coloured toy can be enough to break down that barrier and take the fear out of the situation.
“While ideally we hope never to need these guys, it’s super to have them in the vehicles,” added the spokesperson.