Firm donate money for life-saving equipment
F Ball and Co will also pay for defib upkeep
A STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands manufacturing company has donated money to install a life-saving defibrillator.
The automated external defibrillator (AED) has been installed at The Salon, Westwood Road, Leek, to cut the risk of the loss of a life in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.
The West End area of Leek is now safer thanks to the generous donation from F Ball and Co Ltd, manufacturer of flooring adhesives and floor preparation products, which has fully funded the AED and its ongoing maintenance.
Each year in Britain around 30,000 people are struck by sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospital environments. With a one in ten chance of survival at least 27,000 will die because they are not given CPR or have a defibrillator used on them.
Andrew Beasley, finance director for the company, said: “As a family-owned business, we like to support local good causes and we felt that donating the money to pay for a defibrillator was an excellent way to give something back which could potentially benefit everyone in the community, especially as a cardiac arrest can happen to anyone.
“We were approached by Gail Carter, a staff member, to see if we could support this brilliant initiative to extend defibrillator coverage across the Leek and Cheddleton area and were only too pleased to get involved.”
Leek resident Dave Swarbrook, who has co-ordinated a number of AED installations following the death of a close friend in 2020, said: “This is fantastic news for Leek. The AED will cover an area close to many homes, local shops and also the Westwood recreation ground.
“We are grateful to Gail, Andrew and the team at F Ball and Co. Ltd for their generous donation.
“Thanks also to Pip Nadin for her help and permission to install it at her premises.
“There can never be enough defibrillators and having this here gives extra protection to local residents, shoppers, school children and visitors.”
The defibrillator was supplied and installed by charity Aeddonate who manage the fundraising campaign with a dedicated fundraising page.
They then look after the installation, registration with the ambulance service, and regular maintenance of the defibrillator.
Jamie Richards, CEO of Aeddonate said: “In the UK, over 30,000 out-ofhospital cardiac arrests are treated by emergency medical services every year.
“Approximately one in 10 people will survive this event.
“The survival rate decreases minute by minute after sudden cardiac arrest, if a defibrillator is applied within three minutes, there is a 70 percent chance of survival.
“To improve this, defibrillators must be easily accessible throughout the country.
“Defibrillators are extremely easy to use, and they provide step-by-step instructions in either verbal or visual form. They can be operated by anyone, with no prior training required.”