Hello ECHO Supporters!

We've been busy at ECHO headquarters planning some exciting projects and events. We are launching our first ever project for Heart Dads, running our second Teens Hub session and giving details about the ECHO Community Day:

Walking in our shoes: launch event & film premiere!

ECHO is delighted to invite you to our ‘Walking In Our Shoes’ launch event to celebrate the dads who care for children with heart disease.

Our new and exciting project - Walking In Our Shoes - aims to give dads and male carers who support heart children the opportunity to connect with and get to know other dads in the heart community. This is our way of getting the conversation started and we need your help to get the project off the ground...

If you are a dad, male carer supporting a heart child, their partner or a professional working with them, this event is dedicated to you - DON'T MISS IT!

You'll get to watch the PREMIERE of our new film featuring heart dads from the ECHO community, take part in our FIRST EVER group walk along London’s South Bank (while partners in the community enjoy refreshments and networking), and get to chat to and hear from the producer and some of the amazing Heart Dads who took part in the film.

We look forward to seeing YOU there!

This event is for adults only - to reserve your VIP ticket, please email: hello@echo-uk.org

REMINDER to all ECHO TEENS!

It's Teens Hub this Saturday 12th May (1pm – 4pm) - please don't forget to join us.

We'll have some fun planning our road trip to Margate in July and focus some time on our emotional wellbeing - something that you've told us is really important to you especially during the exam period.

Tania, our youth worker, will run an informal and interactive session discussing ways to manage expectations, stress, and tiredness, and answer any questions you might have about your emotional wellbeing.

As usual, you'll will be taking over the ECHO office for the Teens Hub and transforming it into your own space where you can relax, get to know other teens, talk about interesting stuff, eat free lunch and meet other young people with a heart condition or siblings of them.

It’s your hub – come and be part of it!

If you’d like to join, please email sam@echo-uk.org or call: 07730146154

Please note: Parents cannot stay at the ECHO office during the HUB instead we invite you to explore the local area at your leisure!

Coming together to remember & reflect

If you are a bereaved heart family or their supporter– please join us on Saturday 23rd June at the Garden Museum London for our annual ECHO Community Day.

The morning is for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings (only) and is dedicated to giving them the chance to meet with each other and the ECHO team to talk, reminisce, share special memories and, if needed, lean on one other for comfort and support.

At midday, invited supporters such as ECHO members, staff, volunteers, medical staff and partner organisations or supporters can join us for an hour of reflection at ECHO’s Reflection Bench located in the peaceful and quiet Garden Museum (only two minutes away from the office), take a stroll in the local park and attend our annual balloon release.

Stand with us as we launch heart balloons and remember those children who grew wings to soon and for those left behind.

Tea & coffee and entrance to the museum will be included - more info about ECHO’s community day

If you'd like to join us please email letting us know full names of everyone who will attend and the relationship to ECHO. Please also share your child’s name, age and date of passing, if appropriate, and ages of any siblings: hello@echo-uk.org

We URGENTLY need volunteers to help us with our upcoming collection at London Bridge Railway Station on Tuesday 15th May.

There are two slots: 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm. Please email emma@echo-uk.org for more details and to confirm if you can help us.

Only a few hours of your time could help raise hundreds of pounds for ECHO - thank you so much for your support!

Best wishes from Team ECHO,

Samantha, Emma, Latifa and Diana