Once again over the last year our community has worked together on expanding our local coverage of potential lifesaving 24 hour public access defibrillators.
As you can see from our centre page map in this issue, I have seen in just over four years this cover to go from zero to nearly 90% of our residents being within 500 yards of an outdoor unit.
Working together with many organisations and individuals has made this possible. The Taylor, Everson and Patterson families, Dave Morton and Philip Clark all are to be thanked as well as our Rotary Club members.
The gaps on the Business Park have now seen firms such as EHL, Finley’s, Siesta Cafe, Ramsay’s, CrossFit Gym and Sabre Rail install units.
A special mention for the efforts of Mark Preston who has devoted this last year to raising funds in memory of his friend Darren who sadly died of heart problems just over a year ago. Many of the latest outdoor units and several portable units for junior football have come from his efforts. He and I are determined to carry this on.
The most recent unit was installed on the outside of the Fire and Police Station. A dedication ceremony with relatives, Fire and Police officers, David Sutton-Lloyd, Tony Stubbs and Leya Bakst, from the British Heart Foundation, took place.
It has been provided from the legacy of the late Noreen and Taylor Bell, proud residents of this town for over 50 years living in Cadogan Square. Nephew and Executor Keith Bell said they were passionate about the town and their wish was to leave a legacy for all of Newton Aycliffe.
This unit is available to the public, but is also immediately available to our local Police for incidents around the town, another first in County Durham.
All 24 hour units are linked via ‘the circuit’ to the national 999 system by British Heart Foundation. Over 700,000 units are now registered, said Leya Bankst, from the British Heart Foundation.
We are working towards filling the few remaining gaps and pushing on more basic CPR and defibrillator awareness courses (897 trained so far, minimum age 10), so watch out for announcements.
Anyone wanting further information or advice please contact me.
Defib Dave (AKA David Sutton-Lloyd)
01325 316144
Photo Top: Dedication of new unit at the police/fire station; David Sutton-Lloyd with a unit ready to be installed. Bottom: Noreen and Taylor Bell.