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Swale council spends almost £20k on public defibrillators

Village halls, churches, activity centres and car parks are some of the locations that now have public access defibrillators thanks to grants from Swale council.

The lifesaving equipment has been installed at 27 locations after the council committed almost £20,000 last year from the Government’s Brexit fund.

New defibrillator being installed at Sheerness County Youth Club. Swale council leader Mike Baldock, left, with Sheerness councillors Lee McCall and Angela Harrison plus Ray Featherstone, right, from the youth club. Picture: Swale council
New defibrillator being installed at Sheerness County Youth Club. Swale council leader Mike Baldock, left, with Sheerness councillors Lee McCall and Angela Harrison plus Ray Featherstone, right, from the youth club. Picture: Swale council

The defibrillators are fully accessible to the public all day, every day and have a nominated person appointed to maintain them.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning, said: "We’ve given 27 local organisations and community groups grants of up to £750 to help toward the cost of installing defibrillators around the borough.

“The equipment and housing cabinets have been installed on the Isle of Sheppey, Faversham, Sittingbourne and villages."

He added: “Defibrillators can provide lifesaving support to people in cardiac arrest. For every minute someone is in cardiac arrest without CPR and access to a defibrillator their chances of survival drop by up to 10%.

“With ambulance response times increasing, having a publicly accessible defibrillator nearby can mean the difference between life and death for someone in cardiac arrest.”

Where to find them

Sittingbourne: The Apple Yard, Avenue of Remembrance; Appleyard Sports Bar and Pavilion, Gore Court Road; Baptist Church, High Street; The Bus Shelter Kent Project, Central Avenue; Central Avenue car park public toilets; Milton Creek country park toilets; 249 Fitness, Church Road, Murston; Watermark offices, Staplehurst Road.

Sheppey: Eastchurch, Hazeldene Close; Harty Ferry Inn car park; Leysdown Big Local Eastern Sheppey community hub; Queenborough Ambulance Station; Sheerness Youth Centre, Sheerness Broadway (only available inside the building until contractors install it outside); Shellness Muswell Manor Holiday Park.

Villages: Boughton Under Blean village hall; Conyer The Ship Inn; Dunkirk village hall; Elverton Farm, Luddenham; Milstead, Horn Hill Activity Centre; Newington Cricket Club; Newington recreation ground; Newnham village hall; Upchurch village hall and recreation ground.

Faversham: Abbey Street, Phoenix Tavern; Davington cricket pavilion; Faversham swimming pools.

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