Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Generous customers hailed by butcher staff
Defibrillator installed after fundraising campaign
A defibrillator which is available to the public on a 24- hour basis has been installed outside a Coatbridge butcher shop.
Hugh Black & Sons became involved in a “Heart of the Community” campaign which has seen them implement 12 defibrillators outside all of their stores.
The Coatbridge branch raised £700 more than the £1850 required in only two weeks thanks to the generosity of their customers.
Delighted shop manager Grace Smith said: “We feel this is very important.
“All our staff realise the difference an accessible defibrillator can make to somebody’s life.
“The fact it’s going to be available day or night is huge and we really put our heart and soul into this campaign.
“It cost £1850 to buy and install and we raised just over £2500 in total.
“Customers donated whenever they could and a few members of staff went around the pubs in the area with buckets.
“When we became involved in the campaign I said I wanted to raise the money within a fortnight and we did.
“I’m really proud of my staff and customers and couldn’t have asked any more of them.
“If it wasn’t for the customers this wouldn’t have been installed and you never know, it might save one of their lives one day.”
The “Heart of the Community” campaign originated in Kinross after a member of the public collapsed in a butcher shop there.
That shop’s owner, Pamela Hunter, approached the Butchers Federation about implementing defibrillators in stores, which is how Hugh Black & Sons became aware of it.
Grace continued: “There’s defibrillators in the Buchanan Centre, Asda and Boots, but this is the first one that is readily available to the town centre on a 24- hour basis.
“All our staff are trained in CPR too, which is vital.
“We think this can make a big difference to the community.”