Grant funding available for life-saving defibrillators

Organisations will be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed

Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, is encouraging community organisations to apply for a grant to fund a life-saving defibrillator for their local area through the Community Automated External Defibrillators (AED) fund.

Tony said, “The use of defibrillators within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%.

“It’s important that people understand how important CPR and defibrillators are – the right technology helps save lives.”

Backed by £1 million of government funding, the defibrillator grant will provide at least 1,000 new defibrillators for community spaces across England. Each new defibrillator will be externally mounted to enable 24-hour access by members of the public.

Organisations must be able to provide an electrical power source to ensure the defibrillator cabinet light and heater operate to keep the device at the right temperature and provide match funding for their application (c. £750).

To receive funding, community organisations will be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed, such as rural areas, places with high footfall or spaces for vulnerable people. Examples include town halls, community centres, local shops, post offices and local parks, as these spaces ensure that defibrillators are evenly spread throughout communities and easily accessible if someone is experiencing an unexpected cardiac arrest.

Applications for funding will be submitted to Smarter Society and the London Hearts Charity, who have been jointly chosen to manage the grant funding as they will bring industry knowledge of defibrillators and an understanding of where they should be installed.

Applications for funding can be made here.