Life-saving equipment installed across Clay Cross after generous community donations

Life-saving equipment has been installed across the Clay Cross community after a number of generous donations - and it has already been in use.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Feb 2016, 17:16 BST
Updated 29th Feb 2016, 17:21 BST
After a customer collapsed at the George and Dragon pub in Clay Cross members of the public decided to raise money for four defibs for the community. They are picrtured with one of them outside the fire station on Market Street. Pictured are Connie Taylor, Jim McLean, Tom Goddard, Danny Lane, Bob Curry, Scott Nelson and Nick Hinchley.After a customer collapsed at the George and Dragon pub in Clay Cross members of the public decided to raise money for four defibs for the community. They are picrtured with one of them outside the fire station on Market Street. Pictured are Connie Taylor, Jim McLean, Tom Goddard, Danny Lane, Bob Curry, Scott Nelson and Nick Hinchley.
After a customer collapsed at the George and Dragon pub in Clay Cross members of the public decided to raise money for four defibs for the community. They are picrtured with one of them outside the fire station on Market Street. Pictured are Connie Taylor, Jim McLean, Tom Goddard, Danny Lane, Bob Curry, Scott Nelson and Nick Hinchley.

Four defibrillators are now at The George and Dragon pub on High Street, Clay Cross Fire Station, Danesmoor Police Station and Holmgate Community Centre on Valley Road.

Three of the defibrillators were purchased following a series of fundraising events - which helped to raise about £3,500 - and another was donated to The George and Dragon pub by the family of late Clay Cross man Andy Stevenson, a good friend of the pub’s landlord, Danny Lane.

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Mr Stevenson’s family used some money from his estate to buy a defibrillator and then presented it to the pub.

Danny said: “This then gave us enough money to actually buy three other defibrillators. So instead of getting one we ended up with four.

“I think the community owes them a big thank you, and they do not even live in Clay Cross. It is a massive act of kindness.”

Two incidents in the community have already resulted in the defibrillator at The George and Dragon pub being used.

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Members of the public and pub regulars arranged race nights, an auction, fun runs and walks to help raise the vital funds across a number of months.

Bob Curry, group manager at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This gives us really good coverage in Clay Cross for anybody who is unfortunate to suffer a cardiac arrest. It is absolutely life-saving.”

Paramedic, Nick Hinchley, said: “When somebody who is suffering from a cardiac arrest, the earlier a defibrillator gets to them is absolutely vital. The best chance of somebody successfully surviving a cardiac arrest is to get the defibrillator there and used within eight minutes.

“I would say there is a cardiac-related incident in this area every couple of days.”

Related topics:Clay Cross