We are delighted to donate a further eight new life-saving defibrillators to South Central Ambulance Service

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As part of our ongoing community work, I’m pleased to share that we not only provided the funding for the purchase and installation of the eight defibrillators but also made an additional donation of £2,500 to the South Central Ambulance Charity to support the valuable work of the charity’s community first responders (CFRs).

These CFRs rely entirely on donations to carry out their vital mission. When they’re not responding to emergency incidents and providing life-saving care, they generously volunteer their time at community events to educate the public on performing CPR and using defibrillators. This work is incredibly important because, surprisingly, just over half of the people in the UK claim they would be able to perform CPR if a loved one experienced a cardiac arrest in front of them.

David Hamer, Operations Manager – Community Engagement & Training at SCAS, said:

“I am delighted to have worked in collaboration with Pump Technology Ltd and Andy Keast of The London Irish Foundation on this project. This most generous donation has allowed us to purchase eight new AEDs, and with the amazing help of both the Reading and Bracknell Business Improvement District (BID), we have sited these units in new cabinets across Berkshire.

“I would also like to thank all the business owners that have agreed to have these cabinets sited on their premises; without their assistance this project could never have been completed. I do hope these units never have to be used, but in the event of a cardiac arrest they could prove literally lifesaving.”

Jonathan Barker, Pump Technology’s Managing Director said:

“Ever since It was created, Pump Technology Ltd has always invested time, effort and money in supporting good “local” causes, with a particular emphasis on sport, youth and community enhancement. To celebrate this, their 30-year anniversary, the company is proud to have donated these eight, potentially life-saving, defibrillator units. This is part of a larger programme with other units already in place.”

“Although we are a national organisation, we never forget our proud Berkshire roots”.

The donation and installation of the defibrillators would also not have been possible without the support of Bracknell Bid and Reading Bid, along with the local businesses, charities and councils in providing the sites.

The eight new defibrillators are located at:

One Stop Shop, 1, Kiln Road, Shaw, Newbury, RG14 2HE
John Lewis, Broad Street, Reading, RG1 2BB
Launchpad Reading, The Stables, 1A Merchants Place, Reading, RG1 1DT
Forbury Gardens, Reading, RG1 3EJ
Southern Fried Chicken, Unit 1, Headley Road East, Woodley, RG5 4SQ
Mill Park, Bracknell, RG12 7WT
Toolstation, Trade City, Easthampstead Road, Bracknell, RG12 1YQ
Waitrose, Waite House, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, RG12 8YA

All the defibrillators have been registered with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, which ensures ambulance services can search, find and direct people to a nearby defibrillator if available, when someone calls 999 reporting a patient in cardiac arrest.