A devoted daughter has donated teddy bears to sick children in memory of her mother.

Anna Kichenside, 37, from Watford, asked family and friends of her late mother Sue, 69, to buy teddy bears which they could donate to sick children in hospital.

Sue was diagnosed with cancer five months ago and died earlier this month. Anna said her mother always had a love for teddy bears and the toys were special in her family.

Anna said: “My mum and dad love teddy bears. For 50 years my dad has been designing our Christmas cards with teddy bears hand-drawn on them.

Watford Observer:

Anna asked people to buy teddy bears to donate to sick children in hospital photo: Anna Kichenside

“As the family grew, so did the number of teddies on the Christmas cards. First by adding the family dog, then my brother, then my twin sister and I – we were all represented by teddy bears.”

Anna and her family decided for their mother’s service on September 12 (Thursday) they wanted people to buy teddy bears which represented the relationship between them and Anna’s mother.

She added: “There were so many personal teddy bears such as bear with a football t-shirt. It was a great way to show that something good can come out of something tragic.

“I found my mother had touched the lives of a lot of people which you do not always realise when they are alive.”

Watford Observer:

Teddy bears which were donated to children in hospital photo: Anna Kichenside

The service was then followed by an afternoon tea and a teddy bear picnic. Anna and her family donated 60 teddy bears to Great Ormand Street Hospital last week.

She added: “Giving isn’t always about donating money, but to donate a smile on a little boy or girl's face.

“It shows there is love in the world when sometimes nothing makes sense at all whilst you are grieving the loss of your mother, or for my dad, his wife.”

If you would like to donate a teddy bear to Great Ormand Street Hospital in honour of Anna’s mum then please email her at anna_guru@hotmail.com and she will organise a teddy bear to be sent.