A MOTHER and daughter have invented a teddy bear to help children suffering with mental ill health.
Lynne and Samantha Crilly came up with the idea for the Trouble Muncher toy following Samantha’s own battle with an eating disorder and OCD.
The toy comes with a notepad, and kids who own one are encouraged to write down what’s troubling them then pop the note into a rucksack on the bear’s back.
The pair are now giving away ten free bears ahead of World Mental Health Day next week - and GB News viewers and listeners can get their hands on one from today.
Lynne and Samantha Crilly came up with the idea for the Trouble Muncher toy following Samantha’s own battle with an eating disorder and OCD.
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Speaking about the toy during an interview with Esther McVey and Philip Davis on GB News, Lynn, a counsellor and author, said: “It encourages children to express their feelings and to communicate because a lot of them now are becoming quite introverted and feel that they can't share their troubles.”
Daughter Samantha added: “Many children don’t find it easy to say how they feel so they'll put the thought in there.
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Then when they leave for school, the thought will be there for their parents to come and look at and it can help to be the first step towards them getting support.
The bear is also linked to a free to download app, which lets the child communicate directly with the TroubleMuncher bear.
In the app an animated version of the bear listens to the problem and then munches the issue away.
Lynn became a counsellor after her daughter, Samantha, fell into the trap of Anorexia Nervosa and OCD, at the age of 13.
She added: “We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis, and young people are right at the centre of it.
“The idea of putting a rucksack on the bear’s back means a child, who might not feel comfortable saying out loud what the problem is, to let it out.
*To help drive awareness around mental health, Lynn and Samantha are giving away bears, which normally cost £12.99, to the first ten children or parents who contact her.
To be in with a chance of getting a free bear please email Lynn at Lynn@lynncrilly.co.uk
The first 10 people to successfully tell her the name of the bear will be sent one.