LIFE-SAVING equipment has been installed next to Rugby’s waterways.
A Public Access Defibrillator and a bleed control kit has been installed at Hillmorton Locks by the Hillmorton Volunteer Lock Keepers.
The group reached its fund-raising goal with help and support from nearby residents and businesses, and the defibrillator is now ready to help in times of cardiac emergencies.
The project, conceived with the goal of improving cardiac arrest survival rates, was helped along thanks to guidance and advice from the Our Jay Foundation – the charity set up by Rugby mum Naomi Rees-Issitt in memory of her son Jamie, who died in 2022 following a cardiac arrest.
The charity aims to raise awareness of the importance of publicly accessible defibrillators and provide training in life-saving skills, and has so far funded the installation of over 100 defibrillators across Warwickshire.
A spokesperson for the Hillmorton Volunteer Lock Keepers said: “We extend our deepest gratitude to Prova Investments, Bromwich Hardy, Utility Mapping, Top Marks Electrical, Warwickshire Fire Service – and to the Our Jay Foundation for their kind guidance and advice.
“Their support has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition. Their commitment to the project has made a lasting impact, and we are sincerely grateful to them all.”
Taryn, Lead Volunteer with the Canal and River Trust, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for our amazing volunteer lock keepers and I would also like to thank them for their hard work over the course of the year.”
The Hillmorton Volunteer Lock Keepers are a small group who volunteer for the Canal and River Trust, the charity which cares for waterways in England and Wales, by helping boaters as they travel through the locks, welcoming visitors, looking after the upkeep of the locks, and undertaking small improvement projects.
Visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk for more information on the Canal and River Trust.
