Having a defibrillator can mean the difference between life or death, and so tenants at Lowerfield are thrilled to have the life-saving equipment installed.

After witnessing someone needing medical treatment, independent living tenant Lorraine  (pictured far left in the group photo above) decided to fundraise for a defibrillator.

With the support of tenants at Lowerfield, in Farington, she raised £1,200 in the space of a month by holding a hot pot supper, raffle and auction, selling football cards and organising a table top sale.

One tenant, Yvonne, even did a sponsored headshave, and local shops and businesses have made donations.

Progress Housing Group then boosted the amount raised by contributing from the Group’s Charity Fund to take the total to the £1,566 needed to purchase the defibrillator. The Group also arranged for two members of our electrical team to install it.

Lorraine said: “One of the tenants here started with heart failure and needed urgent medical help from the paramedics.  Everything was okay, but there are a lot of tenants here with heart conditions, so it could happen again. I thought that if we had a defibrillator and knew how to use it, it might save a life whilst waiting for an ambulance.

“It was great to see so many people supporting the fundraising. I didn’t do it all on my own, as another tenant, Christine Dickinson, helped me.

“I am also really grateful for Progress Housing Group’s help, as they contributed funds and Danni Shaw, Activities Co-ordinator, has been great at chasing things up for me, as it took a while for the defibrillator to come. The one we chose was a Zoll AED with the lock box and it came all the way from Massachusetts in the USA!

“I am also grateful to the two lads from Progress who fitted the defibrillator, as it would have cost us extra to get it fitted.”

 Defib Small 1 (1)

Shortly after the defibrillator was installed, Chorley’s Angels visited to deliver training to tenants.

Lorraine said: “The training was really interesting. They showed us what to do it someone has a pacemaker and how to find it and where to put the pads. I didn’t know all that, so I am glad I did the training.”

Lorraine, who lives with her husband Steve, and has one son and one grandchild, added she would encourage other independent living schemes, community centres and businesses to install defibrillators: “I think everywhere should have defibrillators. They are expensive, but worth it. You can’t put a price on a life.”

Danni Shaw, Activities Co-ordinator, said:  “I would like to say a massive thank you to Lorraine, who has been my go to person throughout everything and has helped me massively, and to Carl Chapman and his team for ensuring the defibrillator was installed safely. I am grateful to Dave at Chorley’s Angels for providing me with all the contacts I needed and providing the training, and last, but not least, to all the tenants at Lowerfield that made this dream of theirs a reality.

“This is a vital piece of equipment that really can help to save lives and you should all be extremely proud of what you have achieved.”

  • If any other schemes are looking to raise some money to put towards a defibrillator and would like some help, please contact the Progress Involvement Team on 01772 450669.

 

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