Community rings life-saving change

PAUL CLEGG reglazing a phone box - the defib's new home

A SADDLEWORTH village is to become the first community in Greater Manchester to have life-saving defibrillators installed in traditional red telephone boxes.

The mission, driven by Dobcross Village Community's (DVC) executive committee, will see the machines installed outside The Swan Inn and at Ladcastle Road.

Paul Clegg, vice chairman of the DVC, said: "The defibrillators have been ordered and should soon be fully operational.

"As it has taken so long to get permission to use the phone boxes at Ladcastle Road and outside the Swan Inn, the DVC decided to pay for a defibrillator which has for some time been installed in the village band club.

"At the moment it is only available during the club's opening hours but the two portable defibrillators, once installed in the phone boxes, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

The project started two years ago when DVC member Alison Labrey attended a meeting with a view to obtaining defibrillators for the village.

She was offered two units free of charge by the North West Ambulance Service if the village, via the DVC, raised the money to buy the necessary heated and vandal proof cabinets.

BT allowed Saddleworth Parish Council to adopt both phone boxes, with permission for the one outside the Swan obtained from the landowners, Marston's Brewery.

Mr Clegg went on: "The permission was granted and a licence drawn up at a cost of approximately £1,000, with Marston's paying £500 of the fees and helping subsidise a fundraising comedy evening at the Swan with auction items and raffle prizes.

"In addition, all profits from tickets and food were donated to the DVC defibrillator fund, along with money from the auction and raffle to raise £1,070.

"Sincere thanks go to Swan landlords Tim and Michael for all their efforts supporting the potentially life-saving project and to Peter Young for hosting this event.

"BT has been extremely helpful with advice and help to refurbish the telephone boxes before the parish council took them on, including providing new glazing and signs and advice on maintenance for the future."

Mr Clegg also thanked world champion whistler David Morris for a fundraising disco, supporters of DVC events and OMBC Councillor Nikki Kirkham who has given a donation from her budget and offered support and advice.

A defibrillator training session was arranged by Cllr Kirkham and her sister Jo for about 20 villagers, who appreciated the confidence boost of practising CPR and learning about the equipment with more sessions planned.

He added: "The ambulance service says the use of the two phone boxes for defibrillators will be the first in Greater Manchester, so Dobcross is leading the way."

A network of defibrillators has been installed across Saddleworth's villages by the North West Ambulance Service, in a project led by former Parish councillor Alan Roughley, chairman of Denshaw Community Association.

Defibrillators can be found at sites including Uppermill Civic Hall, Denshaw Village Hall, Three Crowns at Scouthead, and most recently Friezland Church Hall and Tame Valley Squash and Tennis Club, Greenfield.