Ooh hello! What’s your name? It’s ok, don’t be shy, I saw you sneaking a look at me. Maybe you were wondering who and what I am? Let me introduce myself, I’m Helen and I’m a Huggable Hero. I was lovingly handmade to help the three wonderful children who belong to the Human version of me, because they miss me when I’m not around.

Human me is a nurse in a children’s hospital, that means I look after children who are very poorly and need a lot of care. I often work night shifts, because people in hospital don’t stop needing help, just because it’s night time. My amazing children Samuel, Lara and Max were a little bit too young to understand that other people needed their Mummy too and were very sad when I wasn’t around, especially at bedtimes. Even though they are really good kids, a combination of tiredness and not having me there to read their bedtime stories, give kisses and cuddles and tuck them in, meant they started to mess their Dad, Rob, around a bit when it came to sleepy time. Missing Mummy and being over-tired is not a good mix!

Of course Daddy tried his best, with extra cuddles and stories, but Lara especially began to notice Mummy’s absence more and more. This was where I came in! Their little faces lit up with recognition when they pulled me out of the packaging, and immediately started hugging me as tightly as they could (I was almost winded by love!)

I am full of cuddles for them, which Mummy loads up before she leaves for work. She tells them to makes sure they are good for Hero Mummy, while she is out being a different kind of Hero, and that Hero Mummy will keep watch over them while she is out at work. Daddy still does bedtime, but I’m there to be kissed and cuddled while Daddy reads the stories (sometimes Daddy puts on Mummy’s voice to pretend I’m reading the story – but don’t tell anyone! that bit is a secret! ) Once Daddy has tucked The children up with me, they are a lot more settled, as they are comforted by me being there, snuggled up and ready for hugs any time of the day or night.

Sometimes they wake in the night and reach out for me and I am always there, ready to soothe them back to sleep. I don’t take Mummy’s place but I do keep it warm till she is ready to come home and be Samuel, Lara and Max’s real life hero again. I’ve helped them understand what Mummy does is really important but that she loves them very much and will always come home full of love for them, however hard she has worked. They are now happy to let the childdren in hospital ‘borrow’ their Mum for a little while, while I am their comfort for the night.

Helen and Rob tell all their friends about Huggable Heroes and recommend them for anyone who might miss bedtimes because of their work!

So there you go, you sneaked a look at me and now you know all about me, maybe you know someone who could do with a Huggable Hero too?