More life-saving defibrillators arrive in Cheltenham town centre

More life-saving defibrillators have arrived in Cheltenham, as the town’s business community steps up to support the Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign.

By Andrew Merrell | Published Friday 10 December 2021

Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign's new defibrillator outside the offices of Cheltenham charity CCP at 340 High Street.

Clare Seed, of Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign, David Evans, of Evans Jones, and Rob Howse, of The Brewery Quarter, with one of the new public-access defibrillators.

A campaign to install a life-saving defibrillator every 200 yards along Cheltenham High Street has been given a significant boost from two county businessmen and one of the town’s biggest companies.

After hearing about the Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign at Gloucestershire business group Circle2Success, Bob Holt, formerly of Mears Group plc, and Mike Turl, founder of HM Group, donated one of the machines each.

Those defibrillators, for public use in emergencies, have now been installed outside CCP’s offices at 340 High Street and at The Brewery Quarter – and engineering firm Spirax Sarco has just donated 10 more to help create the lifesaving network.

Clare Seed, director of Tidal Training Direct and one of the founders of Public Hearts, said: ‘The generosity of Bob Holt and Mike Turl is amazing, and for Spirax Sarco to step forward and offer 10 more is just incredible.’

Seed founded the campaign with Chris Hickey, of HR People Support, in 2019. It is supported by Cheltenham Chamber of Trade, South Western Ambulance Service, Gloucestershire Constabulary and business group Cheltenham BID – which funded the first defibrillator now housed in a phone box outside RBS on the Promenade.

Rob Howse, operations manager for The Brewery Quarter, said: ‘A defibrillator has been used on site several times to save a life inside two of our venues.

‘Having two positioned outside, at either end of the scheme will make access to these life saving devices that much easier.’

Planning consultants Evans Jones worked to ensure all issues were overcome in order to fit the emergency equipment and Tewkesbury firm MJF Electrical LTD installed the defibrillators on a pro bono basis.

Other members of the business community have stepped forward to offer secure, publicly accessible homes along the High Street for the remaining life-saving devices, with locations expected to be announced soon.

By Andrew Merrell

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