Donations buy defibrillator for Little Easton

A £700 gift from Dunmow Round Table, as well as donations from people throughout the village has meant that Little Easton has now bought a defibrillator.

Jayne Paul, pictured receiving the giant cheque from Round Table member Tom Notley, kick started the funding with a coffee morning in May which raised £982.

Mrs Paul said: “All the money we have collected has been sent to The Community Heartbeat Trust, which supplies defibrillators to communities. It has set up an account for us. Although we have reached our target, it is not too late for people to donate. We have bought our defibrillator now (at a cost of £2,020) but the trust has advised us that we will need a reserve fund for maintenance.

“If, God forbid, we every have to use it, we will need to replace the pads at £40 a time and every four years, the battery will need to be changed and that costs £100. We have been advised to keep money in our account. We also need to pay an electrician to install the defibrillator, as it has to be kept charged.”

The fund-raising coffee morning included a cake stall, a raffle and an auction for a football shirt signed by the Arsenal team, which made £400 and boots worn by the Gunners midfielder, Aaron Ramsey, which raised £130. Other donations came from The Eastons and Tilty WI and generous individuals.

The life-saving machine, which has step-by-step instructions on how to use it, will be installed on an outside wall at the Stagg Pub in the middle of the village which has a population of about 370.