St John Ambulance volunteers in Highbridge are organising two events to raise money for new equipment that could help save lives.
When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival falls by 10 per cent every minute without first aid. But, with CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the use of a defibrillator within three minutes, their chance of survival could be as high as 70 per cent.
That’s why St John Ambulance wants to make sure its volunteers have defibrillators available when they’re needed most.
Saturday November 28th sees the group holding a ‘Quiz and Chips’ night at Highbridge’s St John Ambulance HQ in Bank Street at 7pm. The cost will be £5 per person, which includes sausage and chips (a vegetarian option is also available). Tickets are available (in advance only) from Julia Gibson by calling 07944 482569 or via email at julia.Gibson@sja.org.uk
Meanwhile, a day of festive fun is also planned at Highbridge’s Asda store on Sunday December 6th. The fundraising event will run from 10am to 4pm, including a visit from the charity’s South West Band, who will play a selection of music to get shoppers in the festive mood.
Highbridge St John Ambulance volunteer Julia Gibson said: “As the nation’s leading first aid charity, our ‘Donate for Defibs’ fundraising appeal is about asking people to help raise money for defibrillators which our volunteers will use to treat people who suffer a cardiac arrest.”
“All the money raised in Highbridge will fund St John Ambulance defibrillators in our region.”
“We want people to donate to our appeal and hold their own fundraising events around the area to help raise money for defibrillators in the South West,” Julia added.
“Every donation will help us to make sure we have a defibrillator available when it’s needed most, to give more people the chance to survive a cardiac arrest. The more defibrillators we have, the better equipped we are to save lives.”
