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Knitting for kindness: Trauma Teddies

Trauma Teddy is celebrating 30 years. To mark this special birthday we are holding a year-long celebration. Join in!

Over 1 million children have cuddled a colourful, comforting Trauma Teddy since we first started hand-knitting them back in 1990. Providing care in so many ways:

  • comfort to children fleeing the Summer Bushfires
  • a warm welcome to refugee children
  • company in a speeding ambulance
  • friendly security in hospital
  • a happy face in a lonely time

Knitting kindness

At last count, more than 600 volunteer knitters in 75 knitting groups hand knit Teddies in Australia. They lovingly craft around 50, 000 Trauma Teddies a year. That’s a huge number of children who each year receive the care of a teddy bear.

Every Trauma Teddy is lovingly put together. They must also pass a quality control test to guarantee comfort and safety.

It takes about 5 hours to knit each Teddy. By our calculations, that’s a whopping 250,000 volunteer knitting hours each year! Or a mind-blowing 7.5 million volunteer over the last 30 years! ​

Ready to get knitting? Need a pattern?

Get the easy to follow instructions to start knitting and crocheting.

Trauma Teddy pattern

Trauma Teddy’s story

A long time ago… the Trauma Teddy story began.

Read the story

Join a knitting group

Join a group, or start knitting by yourself.

Get in touch with us

Do you have a question about Trauma Teddies? Fill out the form below to find out how you can start knitting, join a group or receive Trauma Teddies. Or, find answers to our frequently asked questions. 

For more information or to locate your local Trauma Teddy coordinator contact us at the national office.

Trauma Teddy® (including Trauma Teddies®) is a trademark owned by the Australian Red Cross Society ABN 50 169 561 39.