Life-saving defibrillator installed on Northallerton estate

Organisations involved in the defibrillator project outside Rivendale.

A community-backed effort has resulted in a life-saving defibrillator being provided on a Northallerton estate.

The defibrillator has been sited outside Broadacres’ Rivendale extra care scheme in Bankhead Road.

It will be accessible to the local community in the event of someone having a heart attack.

A cardiac arrest can strike at any time and being within a few minutes of the nearest defibrillator not only increases the chance of survival, but also reduce the stress and anxiety of those living with cardiovascular disease.

Various organisations contributed to the cost of the defibrillator, including Sunbeck Neighbourhood Watch, Charity Bingo, Thirsk and Northallerton Lions and Northallerton Town Council. Broadacres also contributed money from its community development fund to support the project.

Rivendale manager Judy Beardsmore said: “Rivendale is so well known and accessible in the area that we were only too happy for the defibrillator to be installed on the premises.

“Hopefully it will never need to be used, but if someone on the estate does have a heart attack in the future, then it gives the local community peace of mind that a life-saving piece of equipment can be reached within seconds and minutes.”

The installation of the new defibrillator comes just months after another at Bankhead Road shops, was installed by a charity called Restarting Hearts in Northallerton. The charity also accessed Broadacres’ community development fund to help pay for the unit.

Gill Davies, Broadacres’ community involvement officer, said: “We have a high concentration of homes in the Bankhead Road area, so to now have two public accessible defibrillators is fantastic and we’re pleased to have been able to contribute towards their funding.

“Our community development fund was set up to provide grants for projects which make a difference in areas where we have homes, and this is definitely the case here.”

For more information on Broadacres’ community development fund please visit www.broadacres.org.uk/customer-area/getting-involved/community-development-fund/

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