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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. Much loved Kiwi comedian Dai Henwood agreed to be our Patron (how cool is that!) and retired accountant Pip Witkowski joined us as Treasurer.

 

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 St John's Ambulance 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.

 

We are so grateful to all of these community groups for their guidance, expertise and support.

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 104 AEDs

to preschools, schools, colleges and other learning facilities around New Zealand


AEDs with 24/7 lock box

In progress

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

Donated

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

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

Embracing Hearts Charitable Trust
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Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Arrival

Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Arrival

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Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Welcome

Newlands Intermediate Powhiri Welcome

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Newlands Intermediate Defibrillator Presentation

Newlands Intermediate Defibrillator Presentation

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