Community defibrillator donated to Together Centre

Staff and volunteers have been given life-saving training after a defibrillator was installed at the Together Centre.

The crucial piece of equipment, which restores the heart rhythm if a person goes into cardiac arrest, has been placed in a heated metal container so that the general public and local community can also access it in an emergency.

The defibrillator has been made possible thanks to Defibrillators for Local Community (DLC) fund, which supports the national charity SADS UK to make defibrillators and training in life-saving skills available throughout Tameside.

Dawn Pragnall, Chair of DLC, has been raising money in the fund’s name with her family since 2014, when they lost a godson to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

“DLC are proud to have placed several External Automated Defibrillators into local schools and Public Access Defibrillators in our towns with the help of SADS UK’s valuable support,” Dawn said. “We also offer an external box to local businesses who would like to bring their AED’s outside their premises to that it may also serve the community.

“We urge anyone who has placed a defibrillator independently of DLC to register its existence with the North West Ambulance Service. We are on hand to offer advice and support to anyone who would like further information on obtaining this life saving equipment.”

The Dukinfield Masonic Lodge also contributed towards the defibrillator.

The SADS UK Big Shock campaign aims to make defibrillators available in all schools and in the wider community. It’s supported by the ambulance service, Good Morning Britain, the charity’s patron, Dr Hilary Jones and Dame Helen Mirren.

Anne Jolly, the founder of SADS UK, said: “We’re grateful to Dawn Pragnall and the DLC fund for supporting the charity and we’re pleased that the Together Centre at Loxley House will benefit from having a Community Public Access Defibrillator in their town to restart the hear is there is a cardiac arrest.

“Using CPR alone provides a 5% chance of survival but using the defibrillator as well increases the chance of survival to over 50%; this is why SADS UK and its members are so passionate about putting this lifesaving equipment in place.”

For more information about funding research into Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, or placing a defibrillator in your community, you can contact Anne on 01277 811 215, e-mail info@sadsuk.org or visit www.sadsuk.org.