Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Gifted device can save a life
A generous construction company has donated a public access defibrillator (PAD) to an Airdrie community.
The Chapelhall tenants and residents’association took receipt of the potentially life-saving device, with villagers in and around the sheltered housing complex set to benefit.
As part of a joint initiative with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), home builder Taylor Wimpey is donating PADS to communities around the UK to help people who suffer from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Since 2019, the BHF have trained Taylor Wimpey employees in CPR skills, providing every one of their building sites in the UK with a defibrillator.
Now, as part of its commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in the areas in which it builds, Taylor Wimpey is donating the defibrillators to local communities when their developments are completed.
And now that work has finished at its Juniper Grove development, the community in Chapelhall are the latest to be gifted a PAD, after it was nominated by local councillor Michael Coyle.
Chairman of the residents’ association, Gabe Smith, said:“we can’t thank Taylor Wimpey enough for this defibrillator.
“While we hope we don’t have to use it very often, it’s fantastic to know we can access a defibrillator in the event of an emergency and hopefully help to save someone’s life.
“We would also like to thank Councillor Michael Coyle for nominating our group to Taylor Wimpey for consideration to receive this valuable equipment.”
The portable defibrillator can be used by anyone to help restart the heart when someone suffers from a cardiac arrest and has stopped breathing.
No specific training is needed and the device will only deliver a shock to the heart if necessary.
Deryck Schendel from Taylor Wimpey said:“it’s so important to us that we give something back to the communities in which we’re building.
“Our partnership with the BHF is vitally important in helping to ensure that more defibrillators are available for people who might need them, and we are proud to be able to make this equipment readily accessible in Chapelhall.”