A RETAIL store’s fundraising efforts raised enough money to donate a lifesaving defibrillator to the village of Huxley.
Staff from M&S in Chester raised £1,500 to raise funds for the portable machine, which can restart the heart by delivering a controlled electric shock through the chest.
The defibrillator will be housed in the Farmers Arms pub in Huxley, and staff members and several villagers have been trained by the Tattenhall First Responders to use the equipment.
Defibrillators are recommended in areas of great risk, where there is a high incidence of cardiac arrest and in places where it is difficult for an ambulance to arrive quickly, in particular, rural areas.
Janet Lamb, chairwoman of the Chester branch of the British Heart Foundation said the Foundation was delighted that M&S staff raised enough money to fund the device:
“About 150,000 people suffer a heart attack in the UK each year, sadly about a third of those people die before reaching hospital,” she said.
“Having more defibrillators available for emergencies is crucial to saving more lives.”
