Survival of the Fittest Challenge for police

POLICE officials from around the Cynon Valley will take on the notorious Survival of the Fittest Challenge to raise money for essential life-saving equipment in the community later this month.

Around 12 members from Mountain Ash and Aberdare Neighbourhood Policing Teams will take on the huge challenge to raise money for Welsh Hearts to provide defibrillators in their local communities.

The gruelling challenge - advertised as the world’s biggest urban adventure race - will see them undertake the 10km obstacle course, which features a canoe centre rapids, a “military-inspired zone”, a “playground” featuring inflatables and a gigantic ball pool and a scaffoldsteel based rig.

The event will take place in Cardiff on September 24.

It comes after the recent #Defibuary Twitter campaign, highlighting where the life-saving machines are in our communities, and it was found there were very few accessible to the public around the clock in the case of emergency.

PCSO Julia Page said: “Wales suffers one of the highest premature mortality rates for coronary heart disease in the world, and Rhondda Cynon Taf has the worst rates in Wales.

“However, we noted that there is only one public access defibrillator in the Cynon Valley at Aberdare RFC and we want to raise money for more.”

As well as the challenge later this month, Cynon Neighbourhood Police Team are working with local schools, sports clubs, organisations and small businesses to fundraise, with the support of Welsh Hearts.

They have a target of £2,380 and on Tuesday had already raised £1,463.

A police spokeswoman added: “The modern defibrillator machines are extremely smart, providing diagnoses, careful, simple visual and audio instruction prompts and they have built in safety features which prevent inappropriate or incorrect use.

“As such, they are designed for use by nonmedical, inexperienced members of the public.”

To donate to the appeal, visit: www.justgiving. com/fundraising/ cynondefibappeal