A team of volunteers from Weston under Penyard have recently raised funds for the Parish’s first defibrillator, which will soon be set up in the centre of the village.

Defibrillators are portable electrical devices, designed for use by people who have little or no medical background. They shock the heart back into a normal rhythm after a heart attack. 

A rapid response team with a defibrillator, whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive, can prevent unnecessary damage to a victim’s brain, which would otherwise be starved of oxygen. The quicker this happens, the better the chance a patient has of survival.

All of the money for the defibrillator was raised locally by volunteers. In addition to various generous donations, the Weston Cross Inn organised raffles, a quiz and a bar collection.

The defibrillator will be housed in a disused telephone box, opposite the Weston Cross, in the centre of the village. The phone box has been cleaned and repainted, and new glass has been installed by a small team of local people.

These volunteers are continuing to fundraise to set up more defibrillators around the whole parish. A group are also arranging training sessions for local residents.

Their next event is at 3pm on Sunday, September 11th, when The Four Banditos, a local group, will perform at the Weston Cross.

For more information, and to donate, please contact Rod Barker on 01989 563696.