Telephone box turned into defibrillator site

Left to right: Nikki Turner - Storrington Area Responders Team (StART),
Malcolm Legg - South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB), Cherril Castle - Storrington In Bloom (SIB) SUS-151208-115450001 — Left to right: Nikki Turner - Storrington Area Responders Team (StART), Malcolm Legg - South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB), Cherril Castle - Storrington In Bloom (SIB) SUS-151208-115450001

BT were no longer maintaining it so SIB thought it would be an excellent site for a public access defibrillator. With the help of the Storrington & Sullington Community Partnership, who also contributed funds towards the project, and the Community Heartbeat Trust the kiosk was adopted from BT.

It was then passed to SIB to refurbish and arrange the installation of the defibrillator. The box needed some remedial carpentry work and this was kindly provided by Pete Harman of Wood ‘n’ Pots ‘n’ Things.

Then SIB volunteers set about cleaning, repainting and decorating the kiosk. A heated cabinet was bought and fitted and the South East Coast Ambulance Service supplied the defibrillator. It will be checked weekly and maintained by Storrington Area Responders Team.

It is now available for anyone to use in an emergency. In the near future the Community Heartbeat Trust will give a short introductory session which anyone interested can attend. Watch out for posters to find out the time and venue. Thanks to Storrington In Bloom, Storrington now has a very useful new asset which is a credit to the village.

Report and picture contributed by Cherril Castle.