Youngsters flock to Sheffield's teddy bear hospital for cuddly toy care

Children look on as a cuddly toy is scanned at Weston Park Museum's Teddy Bear Hospital (Glenn Ashley)

Hundreds of youngsters took their favourite cuddly toys to a pop-up clinic at Weston Park Museum on Saturday.

The Teddy Bear Hospital was run by medical students from the University of Sheffield to teach children about staying healthy and make the prospect of a trip to the dentist, doctor or hospital a less daunting one.

Children queue up with their cuddly patients for an x-ray at Weston Park Museum's Teddy Bear Hospital (Glenn Ashley)

Ellie Lee and Emma Rotherham, who were among 90 students tending to the flood of furry casualties, said seeing their teddies being treated helped cure children’s anxieties should they require medical attention themselves.

“It’s a fun way to make hospitals, dentist’s and doctor’s suregeries a little bit less scary for them,” said Emma, aged 25.

“They’re also able to learn about the body and how to stay healthy by exercising and eating well.

“It’s good for us too, because it gives us valuable experience of communicating with children and making things fun and less scary for them.”

Max Hatton and Rhys Hamilton call the doctor for a crocked crocodile at Weston Park Museum's Teddy Bear Hospital (Glenn Ashley)

Youngsters were able to get their teddies’ wounds bandaged, listen to their hearts to check everything was in working order and even get an X-ray and MRI scan.

They were also taught how to cross the road safely and what to do in an emergency, and got to dress up and have their faces painted.

Maxine Cachagan and her children Rosa, aged seven, and Evan, aged three, were among more than 500 visitors to the teddy bear hospital.

Rosa, whose cuddly dog Toffee had his ear bandaged, told how the day before she had to go to the doctor herself with an ear infection.

A boy's beloved cuddly toy gets its heart checked out at Weston Park Museum's Teddy Bear Hospital (Glenn Ashley)

“I’ve learned how they look after people to make them better, and it’s made me more confident about going to the doctor,” she said.

Aarna Narad-Dwivedi, aged six, was there with her teddy Elsa, whose leg had been bandaged.

“The nurses did a very good job. I’ve learned about the body and found out Elsa was hurt, which I hadn’t known,” she said.

Her mum Nimesha, who lives off Ecclesall Road, said: “It’s a fantastic initiative because it helps children learn and takes away the fear. If their teddy can handle it, so can they.”