Highbridge businessman Terry Rickard from Burnham Waste has donated a huge £5,000 to fund the purchase of new life-saving defibrillators next to sports pitches in the area after reading a Burnham-On-Sea.com news story in which a local football club appealed for funding.
Burnbridge Wanderers Football Club sought to raise funding to buy the life-saving defibrillators next to local sports pitches to enable cardiac victims to be quickly treated, as we reported here.
Club Chairman Dan Jefferies told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “We recently started fundraising for a new defibrillator at the Highbridge Recreation Ground with the idea of also getting one at West Huntspill playing fields too.”
“Our ‘100 club’ was set up and an article went out on Burnham-On-Sea.com earlier this month – since then, my phone has not stopped ringing. We’ve had radio stations and EDF Energy all trying to sort something with us.”
“However, the big phone call came in the form of Terry Rickard, from Burnham Waste. Terry has given us an outstandingly generous offer of £5,000 to cover all costs for the defibrillators. This was completely out of the blue and a real happy shock to me and the rest of the committee.”
He adds that the idea of setting up a 100 club to fund the idea is no longer required. Trish Peace, the club’s treasurer, will be in touch with everyone who entered about refunds. “We would like to thank everyone who entered and participated in the 100 club as without it, we wouldn’t have put the article together and wouldn’t have got this wonderful donation!”
Dan adds: “This is fantastic news and guarantees a bit more safety for both us as a club and the communities that lives nearby.”
“With the money donated from Burnham Waste, we are now in a position for the purchase and installation of a couple of defibrillators, and also to make a charitable donation towards Highbridge War Memorial Trust, who operate Southwell House and Memorial Gardens, towards the cost of long-needed modern lighting throughout, as well as some left over funds for another community project for the club.”
Dan adds: “On behalf of the club we would like to say a massive thank you to Terry Rickard. This is a donation that will save lives.”
Terry added: “Something like the defibrillators benefit the whole community and when I saw the appeal on Burnham-On-Sea.com I wanted to help straight away. I’m pleased to be helping with these great projects.”
Two years ago, Terry also donated a minibus to Burnham and Highbridge Sea Cadets, as reported here.
Pictured: Terry Rickard of Burnham Waste with Dan Jefferies of Burnbridge Wanderers Football Club and Sharon Reid of Southwell House at the cheque handover on Saturday, August 28th
