Comforting Those Who Have Lost - Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!
ABOUT
Our Roots
Here at Ted's Light, we are driven by a single goal; to improve the life of some of the most vulnerable in our society, even if only for a few minutes each day.
Every year, more than 30,000 young people enter the care system. Going into care is often frightening and disorientating, leaving children unsure of who they can trust and where they can turn for love and support.
Hugging a teddy bear can make all the difference when you feel alone, and we want to make sure all children entering care have their very own; and our Teds are particularly good huggers!
Ted's Light has been set up in memory of a little boy who loved, lived, and will be forever remembered and missed.
“I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.”
Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne
MEET THE TEAM
Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled team of professionals is the backbone of Ted's Light. Their ideas help shape the direction and mission of our organization as it continues to develop. Read on to learn more about some of our incredible team members.
MAT CAMPBELL-HILL - Chair
Mat created Ted's Light with the sole goal of improving the lives of young children, even if only one teddy bear hug at a time.
Mat is a technology and communications specialist with cross sector experience in marketing and media. Now with a board and advisory portfolio spanning a UK Government department, and two major digital health companies, Mat is also a senior fellow at the University of Birmingham and a multiple World Cup medallist for Team GB.
Over the past 15 years Mat has often worked with children and young people in need,and was one of the first UK Government Accredited Youth Mentors in 2002. He has since worked with mental health charities and also co-founded a mentoring organisation for disabled and disadvantaged people.
Having worked directly with young people who have been through the care system, Mat helps drives the vision for Ted’s Light and uses his 15 years of experience in media and marketing to ensure maximum coverage with minimal expenditure. With significant non executive experience, Mat’s opinion is regularly sought on matters of business governance, market analysis and strategic planning.
PÁDRAIG BELTON - Director of Communications
Pádraig is a renowned international journalist and polylinguist, working regularly for the BBC, S&P and other major media houses. A large social media following (in excess of 65,000) enables Pádraig to engage with a large community in the way they wish meaning they are engaged with his topics. From this Pádraig is well known for regularly organising successful events and fundraisers.
Pádraig’s knowledge of the traditional media and social media, along with many years working with multiple charitable bodies and boards make Pádraig an ideal addition to any board, but we are especially grateful to have him as part of our team here at Ted’s Light.
DR LYDIA CAMPBELL-HILL - Child Safeguarding
Lydia is a UK registered General Practitioner with a special interest in children and women’s health, child safeguarding and mental health. Previously a partner of an NHS practice in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, Lydia also worked at a children’s palliative care hospice. She now works online for a major digital health provider but carries through her business acumen.
Lydia provides all of us at Ted’s Light with immense insight into the issues faced by youngsters going through trauma and ensures we are able to focus on the outcome of improving lives during an extremely stressful and traumatic time.
FELICITY MALLAM - Lead Non Executive Director
Originally trained as a teacher, Felicity moved into the charity sector where she has spent over 25 years working to protect and promote children's rights. As a senior executive, she has led organisations through strategic development and organisational capacity building resulting in transformational change, financial stability, greater transparency, improved governance, ethical investment and clearer strategic outcomes.
At the heart of all this work is the motivation to support children as they become most vulnerable - whether this be child soldiers in Sierra Leone, trafficked children in Kenya, orphans in Romania, girls forced into child marriage across Asia or those being excluded from the UK education system.
Felicity's career has spanned working with governments, NGOs and communities across the UK, Africa, Asia and Europe - she joins Ted's Light as a well travelled member of the Board!
Felicity is an experienced board members having chaired and set up a number of charities. Alongside her role with Ted's Light, Felicity acts as Chair for two charities - Link to Change which tackles child exploitation across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire and for Equilore which provides equine therapy to adults young people and children suffering with acute anxiety and mental health.
As the Lead Non Executive Director, Felicity helps ensure that the Ted's Light team have a critical friend to challenge and support them to ensure best practice and that we can provide as many Ted's as needed.