News / Pair of defibrillator fundraisers
A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched to cover the cost of a community defibrillator at Strom Park to help save lives in Whiteness and Weisdale.
Ross Smith, a local footballer who runs the Injury Shetland clinic in Lerwick, is behind the effort to raise £1,500 to cover the cost of installing the device.
A defibrillator significantly increases a person’s chances of surviving if they suffer cardiac arrest. Public access defibrillators are becoming increasingly common and many public halls are now doing training through the charity Lucky2behere.
Injury Shetland has contributed £300, while several hundred pounds have already been raised online and through collection buckets in the Whiteness and Weisdale shops.
Ross said Lucky2behere was happy to support the community’s efforts.
“Please contribute whatever you can for this cause,” he said. “It could help to save the life of someone you know and care about.”
- You can donate online through this JustGiving page or by donating at the Whiteness and Weisdale shops.
Meanwhile, aquaculture company Scottish Sea Farms has granted the Brae Defibrillator Fund £600, which should go a long way towards paying for one of the pieces of equipment.
The fund has raised money to pay for defibrillators at the Brae Garage, the Delting Boating Club and the Muckle Roe Hall. All three are now in place and the hall is waiting on an external box unit.
Group chairman Douglas Irvine said locals had already been receiving training in using the equipment from Lucky2bhere.
It was set up in 2007 to help install defibrillators, which provide electric shocks to the hearts of people in cardiac arrest, and train communities in using them.
“The generous support from Scottish Sea Farms Heart of the Community Scheme has enabled the Brae Defibrillator Fund to complete the funding for the project and we will be able to purchase three machines rather than the two that we originally proposed,” Irvine said.
“We are delighted, as this is vital, life-saving equipment. The whole community will benefit from having these items in place and we hope to train lots of local people how to use them. We are really grateful to Scottish Sea Farms for this help.”
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