A new publicly accessible defibrillator has been installed in Winyates following a community-led campaign supported by Worcestershire County Council Public Health.
Located outside the Link/Reach shop at Winyates Centre, opposite Winyates Chippy, the defibrillator is available 24 hours a day and provides local residents with access to potentially lifesaving equipment in the event of a cardiac emergency.
The project began following the death of local hairdresser Graeme Arundel, who suffered a heart attack while opening his business in 2014. Determined to create a lasting legacy in his memory, Graeme’s brother Michael started fundraising towards a community defibrillator.
Although the hairdressing business later closed, local businesses, organisations and residents continued the effort, working together to ensure the project could become a reality.
Public Health supported the installation through its community grant programme, helping to remove barriers to delivery and enabling partners to bring the project to completion. The initiative also received support from local First Responders, who donated the defibrillator and cabinet, alongside partners including Reach CIC, Inspire, Winyates Chippy and Nightingales Primary Care Network.
As a result, the community now has access to a vital piece of emergency equipment which could help save lives while ambulance crews are on their way to an incident.
The defibrillator has also been registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, meaning its location can be identified by ambulance services and shared with members of the public when they call 999.
Dr Sally Hetherington, a GP at Winyates Health Centre, welcomed the installation and praised those involved in bringing the project together.
She said: “What a brilliant thing for the community of Winyates and Public Health to raise the money and install such a valuable piece of lifesaving equipment.
“The plan is to host an event in the near future about life support and the use of the defibrillator for the community to raise awareness.”
The proposed event will give local residents an opportunity to learn more about basic life support and how defibrillators can be used in an emergency, helping to build confidence and awareness across the community.