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Life-saving equipment installed in groundbreaking scheme

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Gloucestershire County Council has worked with partners to install defibrillation units in hard-to-reach areas.

A defibrillator is a device that gives a jolt of energy to the heart. It helps get the heart beating again when someone is in cardiac arrest and their heart has stopped. Anyone can use a defibrillator and they are installed at public locations for quick access. Having a defibrillator close by gives members of a community a better chance at surviving a cardiac arrest.

Most defibrillators are installed at communal buildings in town centres, old phone boxes and pubs. This means people on housing estates, in particular new estates without communal buildings, can be left without access to these life-saving devices.  

Housing estates in Lechlade and Fairford were identified for a new scheme using power from lamppost connections to install 11 new defibrillators. This is the first time in the South West region where lamppost stubs have been used to extend coverage, setting a new landmark for defibrillation throughout the U.K. 

The pioneering initiative was started by volunteers from Lechlade and District Lions Club and volunteer Community First Responders, with the support of the South West Ambulance Service and Gloucestershire Highways. They raised £24,000 to purchase the defibrillators and boxes with donations from Cotswold District Council, Lechlade Town Council, Fairford Town Council, Lechlade Heritage Trust, Friends of Fairford and Lechlade Community, Lechlade & District Lions, housing associations and private individuals. The County Council contributed site surveys, expertise and oversaw the installation process.  

Cllr Dom Morris, Cabinet Member for Highways and Flooding said:  “It’s fantastic to see Gloucestershire leading the way to save lives. We’re using innovation to transform your streets and support local communities. The volunteers who kick-started this project in Lechlade and Fairford are doing a fantastic job to serve the community. Once this scheme is finished, we will have the best coverage in the UK. This is indeed an amazing example of community organisations coming together to make a difference”