Town Centre Defibrillators
Front left; Street Pastor Paul Summersby, Jenny Harding from HSBC UK, and Margaret Poulton, Deputy Mayor of Stroud, holding a defibrillator unit, with other supporters of the defibrillator campaign. Stroud Town Council has raised £10k to buy five machines for the town.
Five public access defibrillators were installed in town centre locations in 2018, thanks to an initiative by Stroud Town Council.
The life-saving device, which can shock a person's heart back into a normal rhythm if they go into cardiac arrest, have been fitted at the HSBC UK in King Street, Midcounties Co-operative Food in Slad Road, The Door Youth Project in the High Street, the Cotswold Playhouse in Parliament Street and the Cotswold Canal Trust visitors' centre in Wallbridge.
A sixth machine has been donated to the Street Pastors by the Community Heartbeat Trust which worked with the Town Council on the project.
"Thanks to the incredible support we have had from individuals, organisations and business we have reached our target in just 10 months," said Town Deputy Mayor Margaret Poulton.
Resident Jenny Harding worked with the Town Council to help raise the funds. As Jenny works as a Universal Banker at the HSBC UK Stroud branch, the bank match funded her efforts.
"Our previous branch manager suffered a cardiac arrest and thankfully survived, but it brought home to branch colleagues how important it is to have defibrillators available in Stroud," said Jenny.
"We worked hard to raise almost £4,000 towards the cost of the defibrillators and raise awareness for the need for having them in the community, and are extremely proud to see them in place, including on the wall of our own branch."
Other organisations which have donated to the campaign include Stroud Rotary Club, Stroud Hospital League of Friends, Warehouse Nightclub, Shambles Market Association, James & Owen, Sunshine Health Shop, Stroud Chamber of Trade, J Hall & Son (Bakers) Ltd, The Retreat, SFH Sysums for Hair, Stroud Natural Health Clinic, Stroud Football League, Waitrose, Midcounties Co-op and Stroud Fire Service.
It is not necessary to be trained to use a defibrillator. When someone calls 999, they will be given the location of the nearest defibrillator and a code to use it. The machine gives the user clear instructions.