Church partnership sees defibrillator installed outside church hall

The new defibrillator has been installed on the outside of The Straits church hall thanks to the joint project between St Andrew’s Church and Bridge Church Gornal as they seek to bless and serve their local community.

St Andrews Church has had a long partnership with Bridge Church, who worship in St Andrew’s church hall each Sunday and during the week.

The churches said they recognised that a local defibrillator would help save lives with heart disease being one of the top five leading causes of death in the over 50s.

Public access to a defibrillator can significantly improve the chances of survival for individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, with the nearest defibrillator being in Gornal and Sedgley villages nearby.

Rev. Catherine Mitchell, acting team rector in the Gornal and Sedgley Team Ministry, said: “We really wanted to bless and serve our local community with this project.

"Having realised that there were no public defibrillators very close, we developed the idea in the summer of 2023 and have been applying for supporting funding.

"We are grateful for the support of the local councillors and the funding from Your Home: Your Forum (Dudley North), and hope that this equipment will help to save lives.”

The churches have engaged with local residents and businesses in the project.

A launch event is planned for Thursday, March 28 at 2pm with ward Councillors Bryn Challenor, David Stanley and Claire Sullivan, and Dudley North MP Marco Longhi, with refreshments in the church hall also available.

Free training on using the defibrillator will be available for local residents on Thursday, May 16 between 7pm and 8pm, led by St John Ambulance in the Church Hall.

To book, go to eventbrite.com/e/defibrillator-training-for-straits-community-tickets-772966592887, email hello@bridgechurchgornal.org.uk or call 07572 922704.