MELKSHAM’S newest defibrillator has been installed at Bowerhill Pavilion, bringing the £30,000+ network of lifesaving devices to all corners of the community.
The defibrillators cost around £2,600 each to install and maintain and there are now seven in the villages around Melksham, as well as six already in the town.
The devices mean anyone suffering a heart attack nearby can be treated quickly and have a much higher chance of survival than if waiting for an ambulance.
The defibrillators are installed at The Pilot, Bowerhill; Bowerhill Pavilion; The New Inn, Berryfield; The Water Meadow, Melksham; Shaw Village Hall; Whitley Reading Rooms; and St Barnabas Church, Beanacre. There are also six in Melksham at the fire station; Southern Electric on Spa Road; Jones Stores on Beanacre Road and Forest Road; the Assembly Hall; and the Riverside Club.
The scheme in Melksham Without has been funded by the parish council, Melksham Area Board, and private fundraisers including Friends of Melksham Hospital.
Melksham Without Parish Council contributed over £7,600 towards the scheme.
Chairman Richard Wood said, “This is terrific news for the parish, and I think it’s certainly part of our responsibility to chip in for projects like this.
“Melksham Without is well covered now and it’s brilliant that these will hopefully help make our villages safer.”
Friends of Melksham Hospital raised £5,760, after being approached by a local first responder, Mel Scott.
Group secretary Alan Weymouth said, “Mel Scott approached us in 2011 to ask for our support setting up a community defibrillators scheme across the Melksham area. We were so impressed with Mel’s drive and enthusiasm and would like to congratulate her on her contribution in dreaming up this scheme, making it work, and helping Melksham become a safer place.
“We are delighted to be able to assist Melksham Without Parish Council to spread these potentially life-saving pieces of equipment out into our surrounding villages.”
Melksham Area Board gave £3,212 to the cause, and fundraising was topped off by local woman, Chris Hardy, who raised over £1,000 from local businesses and residents.
The defibrillators will now be maintained by a team of local volunteers.
If you see that one has been tampered with or has a red rather than green light showing, contact Melksham Without Parish Council on 01225 705700 or 07341 474234 (out of hours).
Defibrillators use electrical shocks to restart people’s hearts if they are having a heart attack. If used within three minutes, a patient’s chance of survival could be as high as 70 per cent.
