A life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) has been installed at the charity’s hydrotherapy pool in Rochford.
Hamelin Trust, a charity which supports young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism, received the device from Mid & South Essex Hospitals Charity.
Mid & South Essex Hospitals Charity supports all Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust hospitals in providing charitable funds to benefit patients and staff beyond the provision of the NHS.
In an emergency situation, AEDs are vital in improving the survival rate of someone who has suffered sudden cardiac arrest, where their normal heart rhythm becomes disrupted and disorganised.
According to the Resuscitation Council UK, for every minute that someone’s in cardiac arrest without receiving CPR and having a defibrillator used on them, their chance of survival decreases by 10%.
The hydrotherapy pool, part of Hamelin Trust’s Sutton Farm site, is used by people managing long-term health conditions, including musculo-skeletal conditions, cerebral palsy and arthritis. It is open to the people the charity supports, their families, and the general public.
Debbie Hughes, Hydropool Assistant at Hamelin Trust, received the device from Mid & South Essex Hospitals Charity’s Senior Charity Manager, Clair Grayston.
Debbie said: “We are delighted to have been donated this vital piece of equipment. It provides peace of mind that should an emergency arise, we will be able to provide crucial first aid until emergency services arrive which could make all the difference.
“Not only is it valuable to Hamelin Trust, but the local community too.”
Clair Grayston, Senior Charity Manager, Mid & South Essex Hospital Charity, said: “We are so pleased to have been able to provide funding to support another of our local charities. Our charity is proud of its commitment to our community partnerships; knowing how much this vital piece of life-saving equipment will reassure and potentially benefit users of Hamelin Trust’s hydrotherapy pool should they be in a situation where AED assistance is required”.
For more information about Hamelin Trust, visit www.hamelintrust.org.uk
To find out more about Mid & South Essex Hospitals Charity, visit www.msehospitalscharity.co.uk