Fundraising at 50 puts defibrillator in place

STUART PIKE

ACOMMUNITY defibrillator is now in place thanks to a village’s fundraising efforts.

When former Free Press news editor Catherine Smyth was 50 last September, she asked for donations towards the life-saving equipment rather than presents.

A contribution was also made from a collection at Carols in the Park, organised by Weir Baptist Church, and the final £200 was raised by members of Weir Pride who bag packed at Morrisons in Bacup.

Now the bright yellow box has been fitted onto the outside of Deerplay Rest Home on Heald Lane, Weir, thanks to William Dyer Electrical (UK) Ltd of Huncoat, and a defib has been provided by Community Defibrillators for Rossendale.

Dawn Taylor, team leader of Rossendale Community First Responders, said: “Weir has been somewhere on our radar because it is quite a distance from Bacup and Burnley.

“It is a busy residential ●● Andrew Walmsley, Dawn Taylor, Paul Hannah, and Catherine Smyth with the community defibrillator outside Deerplay Rest Home in Weir area with a playground, two old people’s homes, a community centre and a growing community.

“We would like to thank Deerplay Rest Home for housing it.”

Catherine said: “I am very grateful to everyone who donated to the appeal and we had a brilliant party that night too.”

Weir Pride chairman Paul Hannah said: “I would like to say thanks to Catherine for her tireless work and drive which inspired the rest of the Weir Pride group to organise fundraisers in order to achieve this.”

The community organisation is celebrating its first anniversary and since its formation has carried out work all over the vil- lage, from litter picking to tree planting and painting bus shelters, to working with pupils from the local Northern Primary School.

Andrew Walmsley, chairman of Community Defibrillators for Rossendale, said: “We are always looking to site community defibrillators in locations where it is challenging to meet ambulance service response times, so we can link up areas.”

A CPR training day and defibrillator awareness session will be held at the Doals Centre, Burnley Road, Weir, on Sunday, July 9 from 1pm-3pm, organised by Community First Responders.

Andrew added: “We are also looking for the communities of Cowpe, Shaw- forth, Edgeside and other areas in Rossendale to support getting a defibrillator.”

If you want to help, contact Dawn on 07812 303856.”