Award for life-saving project

A LIFE-SAVING defibrillator project in Rochdale has won national recognition at this year’s UK Heart Safe Awards.

The council was awarded the ‘Public Sector Organisation of the Year Award’ at the sixth annual Hand on Heart UK Heart Safe Awards.

The #RochDefibs project, run with the North West Ambulance Service, was presented with the award because judges were impressed with the number of defibrillators installed in the borough and the extensive social media campaign which included video guides on how to perform CPR and use defibrillators.

The project, which launched in November 2015, has seen 25 new defibrillators installed in community venues across the borough, with plans to increase this to 32 in the coming months. Almost 2,000 local people have been trained in CPR and defibrillation techniques, including 13 ‘train the trainers’ who can continue to share these important skills within the community.

To date, the project’s biggest success is helping to save the life of Allan Turner, 72, who suffered a cardiac arrest at Tunshill Golf Club. The CPR training and a new defibrillator provided by the project helped Geoff Severn, a retired financial advisor and Paul Gratton a printer, save the life of their friend.

Coun Jacqueline Beswick the council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “This proves that our hard work is having the desired effect. Our ultimate aim is to increase survival rates in our borough from 8.6 percent to 45 per cent by ensuring more defibrillators are installed across the borough, giving people the confidence they need to help save someone’s life before ambulance services arrive. Long may this important work continue.”

Lesley Groome, fundraising coordinator at Hand on Heart, said: “Many congratulations to Rochdale Borough Council for their achievements and such a successful media campaign. I hope that other councils follow in their footsteps to promote sudden cardiac arrests and defibrillators.”

To find out where defibrillators are located visit rochdale.gov.uk/ defibs.