Nine-year-old Finley-Jay Stubbs has been making goodie bags for ambulance crews since he was five, earning him a BBC Make A Difference Award and the gratitude of emergency workers across Shropshire.
4 min read
A Shrewsbury youngster's simple act of kindness has grown into something special, with ambulance crews across the county benefiting from his thoughtful goodie bags.
Finley-Jay Stubbs, now nine years old, has been making bags filled with treats and essentials for ambulance staff since he was just five. What started as a single bag of sweets or a pack of biscuits has developed into a regular mission to keep emergency workers going through their long shifts.
Finley-Jay's mum Laura explained how it all began when she discovered a Facebook group called Hit The Ambulance Gamers.
"He just started off with a bag of sweets or pack of biscuits and it just grew from that into bags,"
Laura said.
The youngster's bags now include sweets, chocolates, biscuits, pens, tea, coffee and his own handmade cards. Recently, he's added some extra special touches to match the seasons.
Last Friday (31st October), Finley-Jay delivered Halloween-themed bags to crews, complete with spooky resin ducks and pumpkins, plus Halloween-style pens. He also gave 80 squishy Halloween shapes to the children's department in the Emergency Department.
Award-Winning Kindness
Just before last Christmas, the hospital put out a press release about Finley-Jay's efforts and he went viral. This year, his dedication has been recognised with two significant awards. In May, he received a Mayor's Award, and in September he was given a highly commended BBC Make A Difference Award for Young Hero 2025.
Laura manages a Facebook page called Finley-Jay's Ambulance Bag Journey, where she posts updates whenever he's been to the hospital to hand out his bags, showing which ambulances have been lucky enough to receive one.
Regular Deliveries Throughout the Year
At Christmas, Halloween and Easter, Finley-Jay makes special trips to the Shrewsbury ambulance base, ensuring that crews don't miss out.
Everything that goes into the bags is donated by strangers who follow his Facebook page, or by friends and family.
More Than Just Treats
For Finley-Jay, who has ADHD and autism, the experience has provided valuable opportunities for interaction and connection.
"He enjoys putting a smile on a crews face,"
Laura said.
The young award-winner has found it great to be able to talk to the ambulance staff, and they clearly enjoy seeing him too. When asked about memorable moments, Laura highlighted his first ambulance base tour as a particularly special experience for him.
His story is a reminder that kindness doesn't need to be complicated, and that thoughtful gestures can make a real difference to those working long hours in demanding jobs