Lifesaving charity on brink of collapse

A CHARITY dedicated to raising awareness of killer carbon monoxide could fold as it battles a chronic lack of funds.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness will cease to exist at the end of December unless cash is found.

The charity was set up in April, 2005, by Lynn Griffith, from Runcorn in Cheshire, who, along with her late husband and four children, had suffered the devastating effects of undiagnosed CO poisoning in her home over many years.

A partially-blocked flue had remained undetected despite Lynn having her gas appliances serviced regularly.

She enlisted support from Tony Brunton, a gas-registered engineer, and recruited volunteers to spread the awareness message.

The charity has been run entirely by volunteers and all funding received has been used to spread the message.

Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, drowsiness, nausea, aching muscles, difficulty breathing, dizziness, vertigo, rapid pulse, pins and needles, confusion, fainting, diarrhoea, chest pain and incontinence.

In the past seven years, the charity has established Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week (which starts on Monday), lobbied for resources to be provided for the education of doctors and nurses in the detection of carbon monoxide-related illnesses, as well as a raft of other initiatives.

Anyone who wants to help save the charity can contact Lynn Griffith direct by email at lynn@covictim.org.
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