Huggable Heroes founder passes 10,000 toys landmark from Norfolk studio

Jo Lomax, left, set up Huggable Heroes in 2014 after her two-year-old daughter struggled to bond with her dad who served in the armed forces

A woman who set out to help military children whose parents were deployed overseas said her business had now made more than 10,000 cuddly toys.

Jo Lomax set up Huggable Heroes in 2014 after her two-year-old daughter struggled to bond with her dad who served in the armed forces.

She works from her studio in Norfolk with her mum and says she receives bulk orders from the armed forces.

The Ministry of Defence said the toys help minimise the effect of separation.

Huggable Heroes are cuddly toys, about the size of a Barbie doll, and have a full length photo of a loved one printed on the front.

Mrs Lomax said: "When my husband would walk through the door on a Friday night, my daughter would cling to me and hide behind my legs. I could see the heartache in my husband's face.

"The week that we introduced the Huggable Hero, my husband went away on the Sunday night and we took the toy of him swimming and to the park for a picnic.

"As he walked through the door on the Friday night, instead of running to me, my daughter actually ran across the room, picked up her Huggable Hero and took it to daddy.

"She told him about all the adventures they had had that week. It transformed their relationship in just five days."

Mrs Lomax and her mum Julia Leadbetter work out of their small studio in Ashill, Swaffham

Mrs Lomax and her mum Julia Leadbetter, 65, have been working from their small studio in Ashill near Swaffham since 2016.

They said they often receive bulk orders from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force shortly before service personnel are deployed overseas.

Lara, 10, has a cuddly toy of her mum Helen

Among those who has one of the toys is 10-year-old Lara, from Norfolk, whose mum Helen bought her one when she started working night shifts as a paediatric nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Helen said: "I have three children but Lara particularly is affected by me working long shifts, particularly night shifts. She doesn't like it when I am not there.

"The miniature version of me stays on her bed all day long and then she goes to sleep with it next to her at night. It is brilliant."

A Ministry Of Defence spokesperson said: "Our people continue to ensure we are successful in operations around the world.

"Knowing that our families are supported by a wide number of carefully considered initiatives helps to minimise the effect of separation during periods of deployment".