Evelyn’s Gift: Warwick charity marks 10 years of providing acts of kindness and promoting life-saving skills

Evelyn Smith died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2013 following a misdiagnosed upper airway infection at just seven years old, leaving family, friends and the Warwick community deeply shocked and devastated.

Helen Smith, Evelyn’s mum, had to perform CPR on her daughter, but could not have saved her despite her efforts because of a blocked airway.

The charity, Evelyn’s Gift, was then started in 2014 by Helen and was officially launched at an event at the Warwick Arms Hotel on June 25, 2015, with two objectives; to provide acts of kindness for local people in need and to promote CPR and defibrillator training in the community.

Life-saving skills

With Helen’s friend Jan Grewal, training sessions were organised with Tim Morris, the practice manager at Waterside Medical Centre, and then with Warwick District First Responders chairman Nick Shacklock.

Together, the team formed Warwickshire Hearts, to bring the first responder and training roles together under one charity.

Warwickshire Hearts has trained thousands of local people in CPR and defibrillator use and remains a close partner of Evelyn’s Gift.

Tim Morris said: “On behalf of Warwickshire Hearts I would like to thank Evelyn’s Gift for their support as we collaborate on our mutual aim of equipping the residents of Leamington, Warwick and surrounding areas with life saving skills where immediate CPR can make all the difference.

"Through our collaboration we have trained over 10,000 people in CPR and continue to run regular training sessions.

"For more information on CPR training please visit: https://warwickshirehearts.org/#contact”

This month to commemorate 10 years of the organisations working together, Warwickshire Hearts will be providing training sessions at Coten End Primary School.

Acts of kindness

The kindness aspect of the charity was centred around Evelyn and her kind-hearted nature.

Helen said: “Evelyn was full of love and kindness, and even at a young age recognised the importance of being kind to others, and the difference it can make.

“Showing care, compassion and kindness may not solve a person’s difficulties, but we have found that it can make a huge difference to the individual’s life.

“Over the past 10 years, little acts of kindness have grown to include referrals from social services, many other charities, health professions and schools.

“Most of our acts of kindness are confidential, but examples include providing equipment for disabled children, food and clothing for survivors of domestic abuse, equine therapy to support mental health, funding help for funeral costs for children, regular acts of kindness for terminally ill people, and toiletries for modern slavery victims and for vulnerable people.”

A significant part of the charity’s work is associated with bereavement.

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.

They deliver the packs through primary schools but can lend packs to individual families upon request.

Evelyn’s Gift estimates that around 500 bereavement support packs, aimed at children aged under 10 years old, have been sent out across Warwickshire to families, schools and charities.

A parents’ bereavement group run by Warwickshire Therapy with funding from St James Place Charitable Foundation also provides vital mutual support and private sessions, where needed.

Evelyn’s Gift is also involved in providing silver fingerprint memorial pieces from Recollections Jewellery to dozens of parents when their child has died or for when a child has a bereavement.

The charity’s anniversary and its legacy

Speaking about the charity’s upcoming anniversary, Helen said: “The sudden, unexpected and preventable loss of Evelyn remains agonisingly painful, but I find some comfort in knowing that her short life continues to touch others.

"All of this work is inspired by Evelyn to create a fitting legacy for her, which has reached thousands of people in many different ways.”

To mark 10 years of the Evelyn’s Gift, Warwick Preparatory School and Coten End Primary School will collect items such as toiletries and activity books, toys and toothbrushes for children being taken into care.

There will also be baby essentials for emergency care placements.

Evelyn’s Gift has also received £5,000 from the Morrisons Foundation towards making bags for children in care for when they have to move.

Evelyn’s Gift works closely with Warwickshire County Council’s Children’s Services department in various ways, including providing trips for children that are in a different care setting from their siblings, helping them to maintain their relationships, supporting Norma Wilson’s care leavers’ hampers and care leavers’ university packs.

Over the years, the Warwick-based charity has supported many other charities and initiatives in and around Warwick and Leamington.

Some of these include: the Friendship project, Myton Hospices, Safeline, the LWS and LNS night shelters, Warwick Town Christmas Lunch, St Michael’s Hospital and Acorns Hospice.

The charity’s work is made possible thanks to the support of the community as well as other charities and organisations.

Helen added: “The Croft School, Alex at Morrisons, Melissa at Tesco, Warwick Rotary Club, Warwick Lions Club, Warwick Town Council and its mayors, St James Place Charitable Foundation, the People’s Local Trust, Jessica’s Promise, Beanie’s Bash, legacy donations, sports events, individual monthly donations and private generous philanthropists have all contributed to make Evelyn’s Gift what it is today.”

The Mayor of Warwick 2024 to 2025, Cllr David Skinner, also raised £3,000 for Evelyn’s Gift during his term in office as it was as one of his chosen charities.

Evelyn’s Gift is entirely run by volunteers, which means that the funding all goes to help people in need. The charity says it is grateful for all the support shown by the community over the last 10 years.

For more information go to: https://evelynsgift.co.uk/