Evelyn’s Gift was formed in 2014 to do something positive in memory Evelyn Mary Smith, who passed away suddenly in September 2013, aged just seven. The aims of the charity are two fold: to provide little acts of kindness to people in need and to train as many people as possible in CPR and life-support skills. LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS
The idea behind the ‘little acts of kindness’ is to do thoughtful and kind things that can make a big difference to people’s lives but often lack funding. The charity’s ‘little acts of kindness’ include work with Myton Hospices, St Michael’s Hospital, local schools, youth groups, social services and night shelters. We support families in poverty by providing essential items such as school shoes and uniform. We provide essential toiletries and underwear for rough sleepers and vulnerably housed people. The charity produces packs of resources to support bereaved children and their families. The packs contain fiction and non-fiction books, as well as information about organisations that can provide further support. We deliver the packs through local primary schools but can lend packs to individual families upon request. Working with local funeral services, we fund silver fingerprint jewellery when a child dies or when a child has a significant bereavement. The range of little acts of kindness that we carry out continues to grow and we try to respond to any crisis situation caused by poverty, homelessness, illness or bereavement. CPR AND LIFE SUPPORT TRAINING
In conjunction with Warwick District Community First Responders and Waterside Medical Centre in Leamington Spa, the charity began training local people in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED). We continue to work with our partners Warwickshire Hearts and to date have trained approximately 9000 people in CPR and the use of an AED. Our aim is to improve Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) survival in Warwick District and we offer free training to groups of people either on request at your own venue or in regular open events. You can book either of these through warwickshirehearts.org.
