Community Link Foundation

SOUTHPORT Communiity First Responder team has received a grant from Community Link Foundation to help with the purchase of lifesaving kit.

The team, established in February 2018, is a voluntary group made up of members of the community who deploy with first aid equipment to those in need of urgent first aid assistance.

There are currently four team members: Jonathan Cunningham, Edward Cunningham, Scott Howard and Caroline Favager, and they all provide their skills and services on a voluntary basis.

Three more people are awaiting training and the funding from CLF will help towards the purchase of additional kit to equip a seven-strong team.

The team is called on to assist the North West Ambulance Service and provide first aid assistance to people in urgent medical need within the local community.

They also promote the importance of first aid knowledge by providing Heart Start sessions and free first aid in schools and colleges.

Southport Community First Responders have raised more than £2,250 through various fundraising ventures and donations, and this has allowed the team to purchase a single basic life support kit that has already saved several lives in Southport.

Southport Community First Aid Team has provided multiple free first aid sessions.

The purpose of these sessions is to promote the importance of basic first aid knowledge within the community.

In the last six months 85 children, parents and grandparents have been trained in basic first aid free of charge.

Jonathan Cunningham, team leader of responders, said: “The impact of this project is lifechanging and benefits the whole local community.

“Southport CFR team is one of the North West’s most active teams.

“Typical calls that we attend while waiting for an ambulance to arrive on the scene, include cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, epileptic seizures, overdoses, hangings, strokes and sepsis.

“Sadly, Southport CFR team deal with multiple mental health cases and have been the first on scene to several suicides.

“We typically deploy to four to six jobs per day and have deployed to over 1,100 calls since February.

“Edward, Scott and myself have delivered 11 timely resuscitations between us.

“Two of the members have received letters of commendation for their actions with several lives saved as a result of the immediate community response.”

Enda Rylands, chair of Community Link Foundation, said: “The work that Southport Community First Responders do in the town is invaluable and the people who are answering these calls and attending emergency situations are doing amazing work.

“We are delighted to be able to help and wish them all the best as they continue to grow and offer more support to the community.”