Aidan unveils defibrillators across town
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AWIDNES teenager has officially unveiled three defibrillators across the town.
Aidan Jackson, 16, of Francis Close in Ditton, has been generating the money for the equipment since last August.
He has so far been able to purchase five of the machines, which deliver electric current to the heart when a person suffers a cardiac arrest.
He is busy fundraising to buy a sixth, but three of the defibrillators are now in place across Widnes.
One was unveiled in Halebank at New Life Church on Hale Road.
A second was place at Panache Salon on Derby Road, with a third at the Wellington Inn on Prescot Road.
Halton’s mayor and consort, Cllr Margaret Horabin of the Kingsway ward in Widnes, and Carl Horabin, cut the ribbon to
unveil the equipment.
Aidan has also been nominated for the National Diversity Awards in the positive role model age category.
He has raised more than £30,000 for good causes over the past fourand-a-half years.
His initiatives have included raising funds for the Olivia Alice Foundation in memory of his close friend who died in 2014. He has also swam the length of the English Channel in a pool over the space of three months, has collected sleeping bags, coats, warm clothing and toiletries for the homeless in Liverpool and then distributed them, as well as filling the home of Widnes Vikings with nearly 11,000 teddy bears which were then sent off to children around the world.
Aidan said: “I am currently raising funds for community defibrillators and since August 2018 I have so far managed to purchase five community defibrillators and am now onto number six.
“These are being installed in our community to provide 24 hour access in emergency situations. The code is given following a call to 999, allowing the defibrillator to be accessed.
“I don’t always find my fundraising easy due to my age and Asperger’s, ADHD, along with problems with my legs.
“I don’t let this deter me and have been in situations that many of my peers haven’t had the opportunity of.”
The ceremony will take place in September at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, with the shortlist of nominees announced at the start of July.
Sir Lenny Henry CBE said: “Diversity to me means involving everybody without any discrimination; it means having integrated groups in society, it means fairness and total inclusion and that’s what the National Diversity Awards are about.
“Congratulations to everyone who has been nominated, you’re all doing a fantastic job.”