Young victim’s family gift defibrillator to nursery
dgazet@thekmgroup.co.uk Eight staff members from Teston and Wateringbury Nursery Group were given training in the use of a new life-saving piece of equipment.
The group is now the proud owner of a defibrillator, which can restart a person’s heart if they suffer a cardiac arrest.
Training took place at the village hall, in Church Street, where the nursery meets. But the kit is portable and will be taken to the hall by staff members.
It was donated by friends and family of eight-year-old Charlie Morettes, from Sutton-atHone, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest during a rounders game at Sutton-atHone Primary School, near Gravesend, in 2007.
Since then, Charlie’s parents Allison and Tony Spalding, together with friends and family, have been working with the Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) charity. It runs a scheme called the UK Big Shock Campaign to provide defibrillators to schools across Kent.
The defibrillator, which costs £1,500, includes voice instructions to help operate the equipment.
Nursery manager Tina Driver said: “The training went really well. We already have first-aid training, but we decided to get a defibrillator as we have a little boy with a heart problem who is joining us.”
Charlie’s mother Allison Spalding said, “While waiting for an ambulance to arrive the defibrillator can be administered to restart the heart and give a person the best chance of survival.
“For every minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases.”
Figures released by the SADS charity show using a defibrillator increases someone’s chance of survival by 50% after a cardiac arrest. West Malling’s answer to Willy Wonka is behind the door of number 42 High Street.
Displayed at Chocolate Umbrella are a variety of tempting truffles, sugary sweets and cakes made entirely out of candy.
The shop makes bespoke wedding favours, immortalising the faces of the bride and groom in white chocolate lollipops or on chocolate bars. And you can even pick up a range of vegetarian sweets, which are completely gluten and dairy free.
The top sellers include champagne truffles, retro sherbert fountains, fruit salad and black jack sweets.
Owner Suzanne Cackombe said: “Our sweet shop is packed with old favourites with a modern twist to make your gift stand out. We just love making something special and unusual, so if you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, let us know and we will be happy to try to oblige.”
As well as selling sweet treats, the shop also runs workshops showing chocoholics how to make their own.
For more, or to book, call 01732 522533.