“Do You Love Me?”: How a Teddy Bear, a Festival, and a

Gospel-Focused Charity Are Changing Lives Around the World when you walk into a Christian festival, you might expect worship music, prayer tents, and gospel messages, but not always a teddy bear in Christmas wrapping! That’s exactly what drew our attention at the Refuel Festival.

Behind the glimmering sweets and festive decorations was Blythewood Bear, the fuzzy mascot of Blythewood Care, a charity doing remarkable work across Eastern Europe, India, and Africa. But as we soon discovered, this wasn’t just about cuddly mascots. It was about hope, the gospel, and a very important question: “Do You Love Me?”

We sat down with Neil, a representative of Blythewood Care, to explore the heart behind the teddy bear, the origin of the charity, and why faith-based giving makes all the difference.

Q: Who are you, and what brings you to the Refuel Festival?

Neil: Hello, I’m Neil, and I’m here with Blythewood Care. We’re a Christian charity working in Eastern Europe, India, and Africa, running educational programmes, community projects, and gospel-based outreach. Everything we do is about offering hope for tomorrow and beyond. We’re also known for our annual shoebox appeal, where we send lorries full of gifts to children and families abroad.

Q: Tell us about Blythewood Bear.

Neil: Yes, that’s Blythewood Bear! Though he doesn’t have a permanent name yet we’re open to suggestions. I created him forour display here at Refuel because most of our materials are currently in Keswick for another event. I needed a friendly face for our stall, and the bear did the job perfectly. He’s drawn in a lot of people to come say hello.

Q: And what’s the story behind the “Do You Love Me?” T-shirt?

Neil: It’s inspired by John 21:15-17, where Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” After each reply, Jesus gives a command: Feed mylambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. We’ve built our monthly giving programme around this, with three arms:

Feed My Lambs (Education): We work in Romania, other parts of Eastern Europe, and India. For example, we run after-school centres for children whose mothers have been forced into sex work. Through education, we offer a way out and a future filled with hope always rooted in the gospel.

Feed My Sheep (Disaster Relief): This includes work in Ukraine, where we’ve supported people displaced by the war through church networks. We’ve also helped with flooding on Rasenga Island in Kenya. It’s for those who feel deeply called to respond in crisis.

Tend My Sheep (Pastor Support): This supports local pastors who are on the ground, creating real, lasting impact. One example is Adi, who received support in the early 2000s and now leads amazing work in Romania. His friendship with another pastor led to the development of Sargi School in Kenya.

It’s the Great Commission in action!

We want to engage people with this question not from us, but from Jesus himself. Holding the bear and asking, “Do you love me?” is a gentle, thought-provoking way to get people to consider how they show their love for Christ.

Q: Is Blythewood Care your organisation? What’s the origin story?

Neil: I joined in February, but my journey with Blythewood started in 2007, when I visited Romania on a school trip. The charity was founded in 1966 in Glasgow, named after Blythewood Square. It was started by a group of men, including Jackie Ross from the Highlands.

Over time, the work expanded especially after seeing needs in communist Eastern Europe. They started sending care lorries over, and it’s grown ever since.

Q: Many charities do similar things. What makes Blythewood Care different?

Neil: It’s the gospel at the core. Every decision is grounded in scripture. We also focus on empowering local Christians. They knowtheir communities best and are key to sustainable, long-term transformation. We don’t just step in, we partner, equip, and watch God work through them. That approach has always appealed to me.

Q: There’s a symbolic heart on display too. What does it mean?

Neil: It ties into our “Do You Love Me?” theme. It’s a reminder that love is active, it’s a verb. Jesus demonstrated his love. Now it’s our turn to reflect: How do I show that I love Jesus? Supporting missions like ours is one way but there are many. The key is intention and action.

Q: Where can people learn more or get involved?

Neil: Two places, Visit doyouloveme.world it leads you straight to our giving programme and project info. Or go to blythswood.org to explore more about our mission. We’re also on Facebook, and if anyone sends a message with “Refuel” in the subject, it’ll be forwarded to me directly.

Q: Have you been refuelling at the Refuel Festival?

Neil: Absolutely. It’s uplifting to meet people who already support us or want to learn more. Being surrounded by other charities and individuals passionate about Jesus is always refreshing. Plus, meeting Heart Song Live has been a blessing thanks for helping share our message with more people.

Conclusion

From shoeboxes to schoolbooks, pastors to teddy bears, Blythewood Care proves that compassion, when rooted in Christ, can touch lives across the globe.

The next time you see a teddy bear asking “Do You Love Me?”, don’t walk past. It might just be Jesus, asking you to step into a story bigger than yourself.

Were you inspired by Neil’s story or moved by Blythswood Care’s mission? Do you have thoughts on how you show love in action?Send us your reflections, questions, or encouragement.

We’d love to share your voice!

Email: info@heartsonglive.co.uk

Use the subject line “Blythewood at Refuel” so we know it’s from you.

Let your voice be part of the conversation.

Listen to the Full Discussion Here:

“Article written by Praise Afolabi; adapted from an interview held by Omosola Fiberesima at Refuel Festival 2024”