Beverley and Holderness MP, Graham Stuart, believes that inspirational stories from residents can kick-start his Community Access Defibrillators for East Yorkshire (CADEY) campaign.
Graham spoke following the second meeting of the CADEY committee, whose first target is to provide public defibrillators for the 60 communities across Beverley and Holderness currently without one. Graham then visited the Boyes homeware store in Beverley, which had a defibrillator installed last year thanks to the campaigning efforts of local resident, Mr Willy McCutcheon. Back in 2016, Mr McCutcheon was himself saved by a defibrillator at Cottingham Leisure Centre following a collapse while playing walking football.
Working with Graham, local shops and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Mr McCutcheon has since devoted much of his time to raising money and awareness for more life-saving machines in Beverley and the surrounding area. The defibrillator outside Boyes has already been used and Graham said that the area needs more activists like Mr McCutcheon.
The local MP also reserved praise for Rose Willoughby, whose tireless activities in partnership with the Cherry Tree Advice Centre saw two defibrillators installed on the Swinemoor Estate in Beverley, an area previously without any registered with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Finally, Graham welcomed the news that Withernsea resident, Andrea Megson, successfully completed her funding campaign for a defibrillator covering the Newbridge Lake near Burstwick. The popular angling spot will benefit from its first defibrillator and has been made possible by a collective community effort led by Andrea to raise nearly £1200.
Andrea’s campaign included a tombola at Withernsea Aldi in January 2018 and benefitted from kind donations from residents – one of whom was even willing to sell their old sofas – to get a defibrillator in the area.
Graham said: “These heart-warming stories are exactly what the CADEY campaign is all about. I know my constituents in Beverley and Holderness are extremely generous, and it’s vital that we can channel this community spirit towards raising more money and increasing awareness for accessible heart defibrillators.
“Residents should know that there is a lot of support out there. I am always happy to hear from constituents who are raising funds for a defibrillator in their area, or who want more information about how to go about this. The Yorkshire Ambulance Service are always on-hand with advice to improve basic life-saving skills, while the SMILE Foundation welcome applications to their fund for community defibrillators – which sees them share half of the cost of these vital machines.”
Speaking at the Boyes store visit, Mr McCutcheon said: “I’m pleased to be here with my family and with Graham, who has worked hard as the local MP to champion the heart defibrillators, at this official unveiling. This device has already been put to good use and I won’t stop in my efforts to make sure that Beverley and the surrounding area are properly protected with more, vital defibrillators.”
Fundraiser and Withernsea resident, Andrea Megson, said: "I've been overwhelmed by the response of local residents. However big or small, their donations have turned my idea of having a defibrillator at Newbridge Lake, into a reality."
