Embracing Hearts Charitable Trust began with a conversation with Heart Kids Wellington in October 2018 about the urgent need to provide defibrillators (AEDs) to schools with heart kids as students.
In March 2019 Trustees, heart mum Emma Lawler and lawyer Jim Meates registered Embracing Hearts Charitable Trust and retired accountant Pip Witkowski joined us as Treasurer. All three volunteer their time and personally cover any operational costs. Much loved Kiwi comedian Dai Henwood is our Patron (how cool is that!). See his video in our Photo Gallery!
We work very closely with the team at Wellington Free Ambulance and Heart Beat in the Wellington Region. They help coordinate with the schools, advise the best location for and install the 24/7 lock boxes while providing free community education and maintenance of their AEDs.
We also work closely with the team at Hato Hone St John New Zealand throughout the rest of the country. Their community connections, in particular with their many local Area Committees are nothing short of incredible. Many of these have donated AEDs and/or lockboxes to schools or preschools within their communities!
We also work with local representatives from Heart Kids NZ to ensure AEDs are given to schools with heart kids as students or staff.
We are so grateful to all of these community groups for their guidance, expertise and support.
All AEDs we donate are registered with 111 and are encouraged to be added to the AED Locations app and website.
Anyone can nominate a school or preschool with a heart kid to receive an AED from us. Just head to our Nominate Tab for details. Please note that we like to ask the school to help fundraise for the community lockbox for their AED.
66 Kiwi kids had a cardiac arrest in the 12 months between June 2019 and July 2020. From early 2020 to April 2021, Embracing Hearts AEDs were accessed 8 times. There were many more calls than that, but fortunately an AED was not required.
It is our intention to donate an AED to every school or preschool in New Zealand with a heart kid and our waiting list is regularly updated. When funding allows, we also donate a 24/7 lock box for the entire community or encourage schools to work with their community to add one. Every dollar raised goes towards AEDs, we are 100% volunteer operated, ensuring that our overhead costs remain at zero!!
Since July 2019, Embracing Hearts has donated 120 AEDs
to preschools, schools, colleges and other learning facilities around New Zealand
AEDs with 24/7 lock box
In Progress
Ashburton Christian School, Apr 2025
BestStart Waitangirua, Mar/Apr 2025
BestStart Allenton, Mar 2025
BestStart Bremner Road, Mar 2025
BestStart Cambridge, Mar 2025
BestStart Maunu Village, Mar 2025
BestStart Paerata Rise, Mar 2025
BestStart St Albans, Mar 2025
Kapiti College, 2025
Queen Margaret College, Wellington, 2025
Donated
Mangonui Primary School, Mar 2025
Kihikihi School, Waikato, Apr 2025
Avondale Intermediate, Mar 2025
Korakonui School, Feb 2025
Maidstone School, Feb 2025
Raroa Normal Intermediate, Feb 2024
Waterloo School, Feb 2024
Moanataiari School, Thames, Feb 2024
Otatara School, Otago, Feb 2024
Sacred Heart Girls College, New Plymouth, Mar 2024
Eltham Primary School, April 2024
Gleniti School, Timaru, April 2024
Matatoki Primary School, April 2024
Ranzau School, Hope, April 2024
Te Paina School, Mercer, April 2024
Kimbolton School, April 2024
Little Minds – Early Learning Centre, New Plymouth, April 2024
Manawatu College, Foxton, April 2024
Raumati South School April 2024
Tapanui School, Tapanui, April 2024
Victory Primary School, Nelson, April 2024
Brooklyn School, Wellington, April 2024
Mangere Bridge School, Auckland, May 2024
Te Manawa O Papamoa School, May 2024
Ōpaheke School, Auckland, May 2024
Hamilton Christian School, May 2024
Te Kura o Matapihi, Bay of Plenty, May 2024
One Tree Hill Kindergarten, Auckland, June 2024
Fendalton Primary School, Christchurch, July 2024
St Paul’s Catholic School, Richmond, July 2024
Tawhiti Primary, Hawera, July 2024
Taita College, (lockbox Mar 2021) July 2024
Rutherford St Kindy, Nelson, July 2024
Best Start Welcome Bay, Tauranga, Aug 2024
Northland School, Wellington, Sept 2024
Hutt Valley High School, Sept 2024
St Bernard's College, Wellington, Sept 2024
Welllington College, Sept 2024
Little Pearls Mt Roskill, Oct 2024
Amisfield School, Tokoroa, Oct 2024
Harrisville School, Oct 2024
Puahue School, Te Awamutu, Oct 2024
Waihi Beach School, Oct 2024
Konini Primary School, Nov 2024
Naenae Primary School, Nov 2024
Tokomaru School Palmerston North, Feb 2023
Paraparaumu School, Feb 2023
Boulcott School, Feb 2023
The Stables Montessori, Christchurch
Peacocks Early Leaning Centre, Ellerslie, April 2023
Anderson's Bay, Dunedin (upgraded from Feb 2021) May 2023
Balmacewen School, Dunedin, June 2023
Cotswold Primary School, Christchurch, June 2023
St Joseph's School Papanui, Christchurch, July 2023
Mahinawa Specialist School, Raumati, Sept 2023
Paparangi School, Sept 2023
Bishopdale Community Preschool, Nov 2023
Te Awa School, Hawkes Bay, Nov 2023
Arthur Millar School, Hawkes Bay, Nov 2023
Taradale Primary School, Hawkes Bay, Nov 2023
Insoll Aenue School, Hamilton, Dec 2023
Excellere College, Kamo, Feb 2022
Ngaio School, Wellington (privately funded 24/7 lock box) Mar 2022
Wellington Riding for the Disabled, (St John Wellington Area Committee funded lock box) Mar 2022
St Brendan's School, Heretaunga, May 2022
Wakefield School, Tasman, July 2022
Michael Park School, Auckland, July 2022
Whangarei Girls' High School, Aug 2022
Papanui Primary School, Aug 2022
Wainuiomata Primary School, Aug 2022
Wakari School, Dunedin, Aug 2022, still to be installed once school building works complete
Grantlea Downs School, Timaru, Aug 2022
St Francis Xavier School, Maryhill, Sept 2022
Dorie School, Rakia, Sept 2022
Karori West Normal School, Wellington, Nov 2022
Taonui School, Fielding, Nov 2022
St Joseph's School, Hutt Valley Feb 2021
Kapakapanui School, Kapiti Feb 2021
Tairangi School, Porirua July 2021
Heretaunga College, Upper Hutt, Nov 2021
Matarau School, Whangarei, Dec 2021
Newlands Intermediate School, Wellington (self funded 24/7 lock box 2022), July 2019
Churton Park School, Wellington July 2019, 24/7 lockbox 2020
Karori Normal School, Wellington July 2019, 24/7 lockbox 2020
Island Bay School, Wellington (self funded 24/7 lock box) June 2020
St Mary's College, Wellington July 2019 (24/7 lock box 2020)
Worser Bay School, Wellington (24/7 lock box 2021) Nov 2019
Brookby School, Auckland (24/7 lock box Nov 2021) June 2020
Tamatea Intermediate School, Napier (24/7 lock box 2021) July 2020
Kaiapoi Borough School, Christchurch (24/7 lock box 2021) July 2020
Fernridge School, Masterton Aug 2020
Koruanui School, Hutt Valley Aug 2020
Plateau School, Hutt Valley Aug 2020
Redwood School, Christchurch Sept 2020
St Bernadette's School, Dunedin (self funded 24/7 lock box) July 2020
Elmwood School, Christchurch (self funded 24/7 lock box) July 2020
Kimi Ora Naenae, Hutt Valley (self funded lockbox added 2024) July 2020
AEDs with Cabinet
Hunua School, Auckland May 2021
Te Kura O Hau Karatu, Upper Hutt Nov 2021
Mt Roskill Primary School. Auckland, Feb 2022
Pegasus Bay School, Christchurch, (privately funded cabinet) Feb 2022
St Joseph's School, Kaikoura (self funded cabinet), Feb 2022
Arakura School, Wainuiomata, Mar 2022
Manaaki Ability Trust, Wellington, in loving memory of Chelsie Parsons, (self funded cabinet) Mar 2022
Henderson Valley School, Auckland, Mar 2022
Leithfield School, North Canterbury, Sept 2022
Nestled Early Learning Centre, Christchurch, Dec 2022
St Albans Catholic School, Christchurch, 2023
Fairfield Primary School, May 2024
AEDs
Ngahauranga Te Kohanga Reo, Tawa Dec 2020
Papakura Central School, Auckland (lock box not required) Oct 2020
Newtown School, Wellington, Feb 2022
Te Puawaitanga O Ngati Ruanui, May 2022
Papakua Kindergarten, Auckland, Mar 2023
Te Kohanga Reo o Kawakawa, Northland, Sept 2024
**TBC indicates details still to be confirmed with the schools, but that nominations are in progress**
We hope that the AEDs we donate will never need to be used by heart kids or anyone else in their communities, but for families, whanau and teaching staff, having them on site offers immeasurable peace of mind.
We have a regularly updated working list of schools & other facilities with heart kids that are in need of an AED - see the 2022 tab on this website for the current list. As soon as funds are available we hope to say yes to every request that meets our criteria. If you would like your child's school or a child at your school to be considered, please email us with the name and contact information of the school, the name of the child and your details.
All decisions re donations of AEDs and 24/7 lock boxes are made with consultation with Heart Beat at Wellington Free Ambulance or St John Ambulance, our Trustees and Treasurer.
Embracing Hearts Charitable Trust
Embracing Hearts Charitable Trust
Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Arrival
Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Welcome
Newlands Intermediate Defibrillator Presentation
