Thorpe St Andrew Town Council has been able to make one of its defibrillators accessible 24/7 thanks to a Members Grant donation from Councillor John Fisher. The Members Grant Scheme, a Broadland District Council initiative, gives each District Council an annual budget of £500 to spend on projects and activities in their wards.
Following a request by Thorpe Recreational Bowls Club get an accessible defibrillator installed, Councillor Fisher opted to use his entire grant in making this a reality.
Ian Aitken, Chairman of Thorpe Recreation Bowls Club explained “We are very pleased to have the use of the new defibrillator cabinet; as a small Bowls Club we were struggling to provide one for our members”.
Speaking about the donation, Town Clerk Thomas Foreman said “Following the opening of the Community Café, an exterior defibrillator cabinet with an electricity supply became a real possibility. The generous donation by Councillor Fisher through his ward grant has meant this can be a reality far quicker, meaning the lifesaving equipment is now publicly available 27 hours a day, 7 days a week”.
Explaining the scheme, Councillor Fisher stated “the Member Grant Scheme is a great way for Councillors to support local initiatives and have a direct benefit to the local community. Making a defibrillator publicly accessible is important on a site which features football pitches, tennis courts, and a Bowls Club. There are also many dog walkers using the park every day and homes nearby. Nanny’s Cakes Café is a hub of the community and locating the cabinet here was a natural choice.”
This is the second publicly available defibrillator installed in the town, with the first being installed at River Green park on Yarmouth Road. The defibrillators are designed to be used with no training required, as they talk the user through how to use it and provide pictures for additional guidance.
