On Monday 1st July I travelled to Low Moor Club in Clitheroe to donate an outdoor defibrillator cabinet to the St Mary’s Defibrillator Appeal.
The appeal was started to raise funds to allow Ashton Barton to continue being an active member of their scouting group. Ashton, aged 9, has a complex heart condition which means he is at high risk of suffering severe heart problems. His best hope is to have speedy access to a Defibrillator in the event of an emergency, but the nearest one was some distance away and could not be accessed within a safe timescale. So Ashton could come to the Scout Group they decided to launch an appeal to buy defibrillators for Ashton and his community.
In April, The appeal lead to a troop of Cubs and Scouts becoming the first large group ever to scale Pendle Hill in the dark. The expedition was called ‘A Taste of Kilimanjaro’ which was to raise vital funds to install defibrillators to keep their fellow cub Ashton safe. Incredibly, an appeal which set out with a target of raising around £4,000 - surpassed the £14,000 mark.
This brave and courageous group also received a royal seal of approval, with a congratulatory letter from HRH the Princess of Wales and a written commendation a few weeks earlier from the 'Chief Scout' renown adventurer, Bear Grylls.
The initial aim was to fund a Defibrillator outside St Mary's Church Hall which would allow Ashton to continue playing a full part in the pack's activities. Due to the communities generosity they have now raised enough to buy an extra one for installation at the Ashton’s family home.
I had the pleasure of attending an event held at Low Moor Club to celebrate the end of the scouting year, and what has been the biggest project their group has ever tackled where they announced what they have achieved and how the money will be allocated to support their local community.
Low Moor Club will be adding another defibrillator to the St Mary's Appeal, making it available for their local community by installing it outside their premises. With our donation of an outdoor cabinet, this is now possible. It will be installed outside the club and registered on The Circuit (National Defibrillator Network linked to 999 Emergency Services) so the community is aware of its location.
I wish Ashton and everyone involved in the appeal the very best for the future and hope they never have a reason to use their defibrillators, but knowing that if an emergency was to happen, they can be proud they are well equipped to help Ashton or anyone in the surrounding community.
If you would like to be in with a chance to receive a defibrillator for your local charity/community, please contact us today
