The Douglas Cardiac Trust was founded in 2002 by Chairman Stan Farrington, Treasurer Allyn Clarke with Secretary Bernard Sparkes and David Dickinson of All Saints Church , Hesketh Bank, joining at a later date.

The trust was created to raise awareness about the need for defibrillators by fundraising in and around the local community. The Trust provides financial support for first responder groups within Tarleton and keeps the area ready in the event of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) emergency. 

SCA occurs suddenly and without warning. It happens when an electrical malfunction in the heart causes an irregular heartbeat. With its pumping action disrupted the heart can't pump blood to the brain and  vital organs. When this occurs, a person loses consciousness and has no pulse. 

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of a defibrillator are the only effective treatment for SCA. For every minute that passes without treatment, the chance of survival decreases by 10%. Having a defibrillator nearby in your community can increase survival chances from 6% to 74%.

The trust has already placed 45 defibrillators in and around Tarleton, Hesketh Bank and Banks - the area covered by the charity status. Along with schools, churches and businesses - several are sited in public access sites with 24 hour 7 day a week availability. Ensuring there is an accessible defibrillator in your area enables any responder to deliver potentially life-saving treatment prior to the emergency services arriving. 

Each defibrillator the trust has placed in the community is added to The Circuit (National Defibrillator Network linked to 999 Emergency Services). This allows the defibrillator to be known to the local community and emergency services, whilst also notifying the owner of the defibrillator when the pads or battery have expired and need to be replaced.

Each year at Christmas time, the trustees hold a ‘Christmas Tree Appeal’ event. The event includes includes Carol singing courtesy of local schools, Hesketh Bank Silver Band with a Christmas tree light switch on for all the local community to see. The trust uses this as a way to fundraise to allow future access to defibrillators to expand on the 45 already in the local community.

This year’s Tarleton Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Friday 1st December 2023 at 7:00pm.

The trustees are extremely proud to continue creating a safer community 21 years later and their hard work does not go unnoticed with fundraising events being well attended each year.

We will continue to support the Douglas Cardiac Trust with all their defibrillator supplies and knowledge needs.

To donate to the Douglas Cardiac Trust please use the below details:

Douglas Cardiac Trust - HSBC - Sort code . 40-24-14. Account number 41220128

Got a story for us? contact one of the team today on 0161 776 7422.