samantha cairns
Community & Voluntary Action
Suggested by Jane Jones:
“Sam founded Forever Butterfly in 2015 after the death of her two children: her son, stillborn in 2014, and her daughter died shortly after birth in 2015. She was motivated by the lack of legal recognition of the life of infants still born within 24 weeks. Forever Butterfly gave away their own Recognition of Life Certificates for families who had lost babies in this way. A change in the law in 2024 allows families to apply for legal certificates.
Now dedicated to Camborne Squadron Cadets, she wants everyone to have a whole cadet experience and knows how to encourage people to overcome their perceived limits regardless of disabilities. She works hard to make sure they are proud of where they come from, irrespective of background, so that they can achieve and gain confidence. Sam sets clear boundaries using a code of conduct to guide and sanction behaviour, and will do everything in her power to get them on the right path. Her greatest impact is with 12 to 20 year-olds in Camborne, but she also holds monthly training weekends for the whole of Cornwall and helps staff to understand teenagers. She took on the Squadron in 2022 when it only had six cadets. It’s now 40-strong, one of the largest in the area with an unheard of above 85% attendance rate.
Sam started to work with Empower Together in 2021. The charity helps uniformed youth organisations, young people, and their families find minor but impactful adjustments that will support disability. This could be as small as exchanging colour coding and words on a timetable to holding training forums supporting discussion around disability.
Sam’s story is of resilience, compassion, and a tireless drive for social improvement. Through her initiatives, she has profoundly impacted her community, fostering a culture of inclusivity and support. Her journey is a guiding example on how to make a difference through communal leadership.”