Member Article

Chorley pub community to benefit from AED donation

Regulars and visitors to the Golden Lion pub in Higher Wheelton, Chorley are the proud owners of a new defibrillator after a volunteer running coach based at the pub put in a compelling argument to get it donated to them.

Shelby Williams, run leader of Lions Community Club, which attracts over 50 runners a week to the pub, entered a competition run by defibrillator manufacturers Cardiac Science to win a Powerheart® G5 AED (automated external defibrillator).

The company, based in Stockport, ran the competition throughout 2017, donating a Powerheart® G5 AED every three months to a deserving cause.

Shaun Ingram, Managing Director of Cardiac Science, said that Shelby put forward a strong case for the need of an AED, saying the pub was a busy place, at the heart of the community, the perfect spot for a defib.

Shelby explained: “In the six years since the running club started we have only ever called an ambulance out once, but it did take a long time to get here - including going off-road at the end to reach us - so having an AED on hand which could save a life is a no brainer.

She continued: “Since then our nearest A & E department has partially closed so the situation has not got any better and I knew we needed a plan B. The G5 gives us peace of mind that in an emergency we could help ourselves and give someone a fighting chance of survival.”

As well as the hub for the running club – runs are usually reasonably close to the building - the pub sits alongside a canal which attracts walkers, locals and families at weekends. “It’s a real community pub,” said Shelby, “with lots of people who could benefit from the defib.”

Kevin Garvey from Cardiac Science joined Shelby and members of her running club to hand over the device. It will be housed inside the pub for now, but Shelby is hoping, with local fund-raising support, to buy a specially-constructed external cabinet with easy access for all.

Shelby and others will also be given First Responder training to get familiar with the device. However the Powerheart® G5 AED is designed to be used in an emergency without any training at all. It is set up to be intuitive to use, with the first time rescuer in mind, talking them through every step of the way and only giving a shock if required.

Kevin commented: “We are only too pleased to donate the Powerheart® G5 devices into semi-rural locations, especially pubs which attract big communities of people and Shelby is to be congratulated for championing the Golden Lion’s cause. Hopefully they will never have to use it but there is peace of mind in knowing it’s there in an emergency.”

Around 60,000 people in the UK have an out of hospital cardiac arrest each year according to figures from the Resuscitation Council (UK). If CPR is started early and there is an AED available, it can double the person’s chances of survival.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Souter .