‘It’s just like getting a big cwtch from daddy...’

ELISABETH Barker has helped children to sleep again for the first time since losing a parent.

This is because this mum from Brackla, Bridgend, makes stuffed animals from the clothes belonging to family and friends who have died.

She has made teddies from clothes belonging to people’s parents, siblings and grandparents.

Some people have even asked her to put the ashes of loved ones inside their teddies.

For Talbot Green mother Jo Parr, Elisabeth’s work has helped her 11-year-old daughter Bethan sleep through the night for the first time in 11 weeks since losing her father to cancer.

At 48 years old, electrician Chris died exactly four weeks after being taken to hospital when he was diagnosed with rare neuroendocrine tumours.

Jo, 40, said: “It was all so sudden. It was four weeks to the day from him going to hospital to when he passed away.

“We found out he had a rare form of cancer we had never heard of.

“We didn’t want to get rid of his clothes so we wanted to find a way of keeping it.”

Bethan now sprays her dad’s old aftershave on to her bear and cushion made from Chris’ favourite clothes to comfort her.

Jo said: “The first night she got it, she fell asleep with her head on the cushion and touching the pillow.

“It was just so nice to see she was comforted at last. She said it was like cwtching daddy.

“After that we didn’t just gain the bear, we also gained a friend in Elisabeth.”

Tonyrefail Comprehensive pupil Bethan said: “The first time I saw it I cried because of how amazing it was.

“We chose the shirt daddy used to wear all the time to go down to the caravan and the one he used to wear at Christmas.”

At 37 years old, Elisabeth has dealt with her own share of loss.

At the age of 11 the mother of four lost her sister in an accident.

This year she has also dealt with the death of her grandmother – and has since made her signature cushions and teddy bears using her gran’s favourite clothes.

“I was only 11 years old when my sister died, she died in an accident, so perhaps the fact that I understand grief and loss helps. You just want to do anything to make it easier to deal with,” she said.

“I don’t ask how a person has passed away, but most of the time people will send me a picture of them.

“I have been asked to put ashes in bears and cushions.

“A lot of people don’t like the thought of the ashes but as long as they are in a suitable container already, it’s fine. Once a lady took out nine little bottles and they were sat on my desk.

“I just want to help people.”

Since starting her own business, Elisabeth receives messages every day from people asking to turn their memories – both happy and sad – into bears.

“Some evenings I will work on them until about 10pm but I don’t like leaving things unfinished and I get excited to show the customer.”