Shops fitted with new life-saving equipment
A busy shopping parade on a Wolverhampton housing estate has been equipped with a new life-saving defibrillator machine, following a campaign by local residents and councillors.
The Ashmore Park estate in Wednesfield – which has a large elderly population – received the new heart revival machine after several reported incidents of people collapsing whilst out shopping.
A number of residents raised their concerns with ward councillors, and the new defibrillator has now been installed outside The Ashmore pub on Griffiths Drive, directly opposite the shopping parade.
Known locally as the ‘bottom shops’ – setting it apart from the estate’s other shopping centre at the top of Griffiths Drive – the parade now has two automated external defibrillators within close walking distance.
The first was fitted at The Hub nearby, which is the local library and community centre serving the estate.
Local resident Maureen Goodall said: ” I have lived here for a very long time and use the shops regularly – pretty much daily, really. It is a very friendly community and everyone looks out for each other.
“Thankfully, I have never seen anyone be taken ill whilst out shopping, but nonetheless it is very reassuring to know that someone has taken the steps to make sure people can be helped quickly should that ever happen.
“There are a lot of older people who shop here every day, many of them alone, so it is really a great comfort to know that people are looking out for them.”
Defibrillators are used to revive people suffering sudden cardiac arrest caused by a disruption in the heart’s electrical activity.
Ashmore Park has been part of Wolverhampton since 1966, when the majority of Wednesfield was incorporated into it. The estate mainly consists of council houses, flats and bungalows dating back to the 1950s.
The instalment of the new defibrillator was made possible after Wednesfield North councillors donated £400 of ward funds towards the venture.
