Defibrillators installed from 5p carrier bag levy
Over 300 defibrillators have been installed by Central England Co-operative thanks to funds raised by the 5p carrier bag levy.
The Society has installed defibrillators at its food stores and funeral homes across 16 different counties during the past 12 months as part of an ambitious scheme.
It is estimated that around 100,000 people die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the UK each year and, while CPR saves the lives of around nine per cent, if CPR is used alongside a defibrillator the chance of survival increases to 50 percent.
Martyn Cheatle, Central England Co-operative chief executive, said: “Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the UK’s biggest killers and, after listening to the concerns of customers, members and partners, we wanted to help tackle the issue by getting more life-saving equipment into communities where it can save lives.
“As a responsible business we place a huge focus on making a positive contribution to the communities in which we trade; we are delighted to have been able to build on our existing work with this project which we funded from the 5p carrier bag levy.
“The response to the project by our colleagues, customers and members has been amazing and we have been taken aback by the positive response from the communities in which we serve.”
After every device was installed by Oak Electrical, special familiarisation sessions took place for staff at Society outlets, nearby business, local residents and community groups to help people find out more about the device and its ease of use.
