Premier Inn chain helps the reunification of teddy bears with their owners

For children across the UK, a comfort toy is so much more than just a bedtime buddy. Whether it’s a teddy, blanket or bunny, these beloved items bring calm and consistency. In fact, 89% of parents say their children sleep with one.

It’s no surprise then, that when they go missing or get left behind, it results in heartbreak. Many children still ask about their favorite teddy months after losing it and some parents feel they’ve ‘lost part of the family’.

A majority (61%) of parents say their child’s favorite toy has been lost while traveling. Over a third (39%) say that sadly, they’ve never been found. This is why UK hotel chain Premier Inn launched an unusual initiative named the Teddy Bear Reunification Project.

As part of a three-month trial with the Premier Inn Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) hotel, an incredibly popular hotel during the summer months as families jet off on holiday, guests can now locate their lost comfort toys in the Lost Teddy Gallery on Premier Inn website.

Each toy has been carefully photographed and logged by the hotel team, in the hope that one day, their name, and their family, will be found again.

Lemur — A lost lemur waiting for his owner (Photo: Premier Inn)

If a guest recently stayed at Premier Inn Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) and believe a comfort toy was left behind, he must simply send an email including a proof of their booking and details of when the teddy was lost to verify ownership. Once ownership confirmed, the Premier Inn team returns the lost teddy.

Some teddies may never be reunited; in situations where soft toys are in our care for more than three months, they may be donated to the soft toy adoption agency, Loved Before, who we’re working with during this trial. They’ll then receive a thorough “Spa” treatment before being matched with their new home, with the organization supporting incredible charities including Make-A-Wish UK.

Why did Premier Inn commit itself so seriously by the Teddy Bear Reunification Project ? It is all about the psychological well-being of children and their parents. In Premier Inn survey° over teddy bears, nearly half of parents (46%) say their child was upset and took a few days to bounce back after the sadness. However, for some children, the distress lasted much longer. 22% of parents declared that the loss negatively affected their child’s sleep.

But it’s not just children who feel the impact of a forgotten teddy. A quarter of parents (26%) admitted to feeling guilty for losing or not protecting the toy. While one in ten (11%) described it as feeling like losing part of their family routine!

° Data gained via a survey of 500 parents of children aged 1-12. Data correct as of July 2025.