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Brenda, 95, is a surprise social media hit with her cuddly toys
The Guardian
|July 14, 2025
The anger and polarisation common to social media have made it a stressful place to venture for people wary of its pile-ons and bile.
Yet a 95-year-old Cheshire woman and her soft toy collection have become the unlikely stars of a trend to encourage kindness online.
Brenda Allen said she had been flabbergasted by the response to her TikTok videos, in which she talks about her quirky Jellycat figures.
Encouraged by a staff member at her care home, she began by showing viewers a hat-wearing avocado called Florence. Her collection also features a cuddly pot plant and a squashy, smiling pain au chocolat.
This story is from the July 14, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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