Newton Aycliffe Youth Football Club have donated a defibrillator heart machine for the benefit of the whole community and in particular those people using the Oakleaf pitches and running track.
After a recent First Aid Course for coaches at the club, we were advised that we had an 8 minute window to get a Defib machine to an incident or it was likely to be too late. The Oakleaf Sports Complex building has a Defib machine but we agreed that 8 minutes would be difficult from our furthest pitches.
We applied for assistance to the British Heart Foundation and purchased the machine. The original idea was to bring out the Defib machine on match day and training nights for the use of our players and spectators but quickly agreed that this needed to be available 24 hours of the day and benefit everyone using the Oakleaf.
We contacted Great Aycliffe Town Council to discuss our idea and the project was agreed. Firstly the football club purchased a secure cabinet that is registered with the ambulance service. In the case of an emergency, a 999 call will be connected to the ambulance service, the location of the Defib cabinet will be advised and a unique code will be given to open the cabinet. Simple instructions to use the Defib are inside, allowing any member of the public to use it.
Great Aycliffe Town Council provided the labour for the work while 2 local businesses donated their skills to assist the project free of charge. Aycliffe Fabrications manufactured and donated a bespoke stand and Lacegold Electrical installed the required power supply from the changing rooms to the cabinet.
Club Secretary Berni Borsberry commented “The help given from business’ on the town and the Council has allowed this defibrillator to be available to everyone, we all hope that the machine will never be needed but if it is and it saves a life, the costs will have been worth it” he added ” this is an example of the community working together for the benefit the community”.
