AN anonymous donor has paid for a new defibrillator to be installed near one of the busiest spots on the Malvern Hills.
The lifesaving device has been fixed to a wall at the Malvern Hills Hotel, just across the road from the British Camp car park, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors per year.
The equipment is located on an external wall and is accessible to members of the public in an emergency involving a cardiac arrest.
Richard Vakis-Lowe, chairman of Heartstart Malvern, said: “This is the most extraordinary act of kindness. British Camp is a location where we have wanted to have defibrillator coverage for some time.
"Thanks to the selfless generosity of our donor and then the enthusiasm and support of Matthew Cooke at the Malvern Hills Hotel, the project came together in an instant.
Hotel staff have been getting resuscitation training, and the hotel is also keen to encourage and support more local interest groups to take up the opportunity.
Mr Vakis-Lowe said: ""Whilst any member of the public may access the equipment in an emergency, the fact that the hotel staff and other Malvern Hills interest groups have been so receptive to receiving our free resuscitation training means that awareness of the equipment and the confidence in CPR and defibrillator use has the potential to make all the difference in saving lives.”
Heartstart volunteer Sarah Grout said: “We are proud of our fantastic team of volunteer trainers who will deliver training to groups, workplaces and schools in the Malvern Hills area.
"We welcome hearing from anyone who would like us to co-ordinate a training session for them. Resuscitation training sessions last about an hour and a half but can offer trainees a lifetime of confidence in assisting someone suffering from cardiac arrest."
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