YOUNG campaigner Emily Faulkner who launched a drive last month to fund a defib for every school in Bromsgrove has held her first event, raising £242 for the cause.
The eight-year-old featured on The Standard’s front page on June 24 after launching Every Heart Matters.
She was inspired after undergoing a defib training session with Rob and Maggie Underwood from Charlotte and Craig Saving Hearts Foundation (CCSHF) and hearing their story.
Rob and Maggie started the charity when they lost two of their children – Charlotte and Craig – to rare heart conditions.
Emily’s first fund-raiser at the NEW Ravens RL festival saw Emily have a stall selling her Every Heart Matters pens, mugs, t-shirts and bags.
She also held a name the bear competition. The bear was donated by Focal Image which is owned by her aunt and grandad, Gail and Colin Fry. The first prize, a remote controlled car, was donated by Johnsons Cars of Solihull and Rob and Maggie from CCSHF also attended the event to show their support.
Focal Image has created the t-shirts and bags which Emily designed at cost to maximise the funding potential of the drive.
Gail told The Standard: “She did an amazing job.
“She raised an amazing £242.00 over the weekend and was even lucky enough to meet St Helens RLFC Super League player Ricky Bailey who brought a shirt and mug himself and was very supportive of her cause and was happy to get involved.”
Emily was also interviewed by ITV Central, getting her campaign some television coverage to raise further awareness.
Emily set herself a £10,000 fund-raising target to fulfil her overall aim of buying a defib for every Bromsgrove school.
She has now raised a total of £750 meaning she is not far off her first defib which will cost around £900 and will be installed at her school – Parkside Middle.
“We are so proud of how she has done so far, with more activities to follow,” added Gail.
To donate to the cause visit localgiving.org/fundraising/everyheartmattersx or search for ‘Every Heart Matters by Emily Faulkner’ on Facebook for more on the campaign.
Call 07794 637073, email [email protected] or visit www.ccshf.org.uk to contact the Charlotte and Craig Saving Hearts Foundation.
