Campaign on track to fund 36 life-saving defibrillators in Castleford

Erikson was revived by medical staff using a defibrillator and went on to make a full recovery.

Tony, 48, who lives in Castleford, looked into defibrillator provision in the town and how many were available for the public to use

Tony said: “I was shocked when I found out, at that time, there was just one in Castleford that was available 24 hours a day. Barnsley, for example, has 50.

“A National Institute for Health Research review in 2017 found that on average, only eight out of 100 people for whom resuscitation is attempted by emergency services in England survive to leave the hospital, and each minute without intervention reduces the chance of survival.

“The UK survival rate is around eight per cent, which is lower than in other developed countries.

“This review found that bystander assistance through cardiopulmonary resuscitation and attaching a defibrillator increased it to 32 per cent.”

Tony resolved to start a campaign to encourage businesses and community groups to fundraise and provide publicly accessible equipment throughout the town.

He is a member of Smawthorne Welfare Action Team and together they raised £1,400, enough to fund one defibrillator.

They approached the owner of Brightsparks Nursery, which is housed in the former Smawthorne pub and asked if they could site the equipment there, within easy reach of the park.

Tony said: “She was so taken by the idea she agreed to fundraise to provide the machine herself and soon had enough money for two.

“We used our funds to place one at the other end of the park.”

The campaign quickly gained momentum and a focus group was set up called Castleford Heartstart.

A charity auction at The Magnet Hotel raised enough money to buy one and, on the same night, Darren Moore of the Eagle on Methley Road was holding an event that has enabled him to buy four.”

Darren, a former professional rugby league player, said: “We raised £4,505 from our charity event and Tony Tonks who is chairman of the charity Heartbeat of Sport received a donation of £500 from New Balance at Junction 32 that made it up to £5,000.”

Darren and fellow fundraiser Terry Bilsbrough are planning another event later in the year to provide more defibrillators for the community.

Tony said: “On January 1, 2022, Castleford had two public defibrillators, one at Wakefield College and the other at The Link Church on Beancroft Road.

“By the end of the year we are hoping to have 36 spread throughout the town.”

That number includes at least six that are currently sited in businesses, open only during office hours.

Tony and other members of the group are in the process of contacting these companies asking if they would be willing to move the equipment outside their premises into a special cabinet linked up to the emergency services.

To date three of the defibrillators have been installed with five more on the way which are currently sitting in a warehouse, delayed due to Brexit bureaucracy.

Tony said: “In all the places we’ve installed defibrillators local people have been supportive but many say they would be apprehensive about using one.”

To that end, Tony will be running a series of two-hour training sessions at all locations for anyone who lives or works locally.

The next one will take place at The Eagle on Methley Road on February 23 at 7pm.

life saver: One of the defibrillators.

campaigners: The defibrillator outside The Eagle pub on Methley Road in Castleford.

From left: Tony Carlin, Darren Moore and Terry Bilsbrough. Picture Scott Merrylees

“On January 1, 2022, Castleford had two public defibrillators, one at Wakefield College and the other at The Link Church on Beancroft Road.”