Worthing nursery raises money for community defibrillator

Chappell Croft Nursery, in Christchurch Road, launched the defibrillator appeal following staff first aid training.

A month of fundraising was planned to raise the £1,000 needed to install a defibrillator and, if possible, a further £700 for a secure, waterproof box to ensure 24-hour access when the nursery was closed.

Freya Dommen, manager, said: “Attending a first aid course renewal, we were shown how a defibrillator works, how easy it is to save a life with one and how there are not enough of these machines in the locality.

“We always have a sponsor parent event once a year but for this year, we decided to have a charity month of June in order to raise enough money to buy a defibrillator for the nursery and for the benefit of the whole community.

“This will be linked to the ambulance service, so when a 999 call is made, the response team can notify the caller of the equipment’s location.

“Nursery staff recognise the importance of having access to life-saving equipment for use in an emergency, either at the nursery or neighbouring area.”

Fundraising events included a doctors and nurses dress up day for the children, sponsored breakfasts with the parents and a sponsored wheels event in Victoria Park.

Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmia, when the heart beats irregularly.

A defibrillator delivers a dose of electric current to the heart to re-establish normal rhythm and plays a vital role in on-scene response to heart attacks.