Severn Trent has made a grant of £67,000 to Staffordshire-based AEDdonate as part of its Community Fund programme. 

AEDdonate works with communities, businesses, clubs, and schools across the country to raise awareness about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and teach people the correct way to deliver CPR and how to use a defibrillator, providing an attendance certificate for completion of the course.

The grant will provide 10 defibrillators for the community, purchase of CPR manikins, running of an outreach programme to provide training, and salary for a volunteer coordinator to help them reach more people. 

AEDdonate will also purchase an educational van that can be taken to business and city centres to raise awareness and host drop-in sessions where people can ask questions, find out where their nearest defibrillator is and have a go at doing some CPR. 

Jamie Richards, AEDdonate, said: “Having the right training, awareness, and access to a defibrillator could save a person's life in the event of Sudden cardiac arrest. With this funding, we'll be able to reach out to many more people and ensure they have the skills and confidence to know what to do if someone suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest.

“We’d love to hear from communities, businesses, schools, and clubs about adding defibrillators into your local area, training, and sponsorships/partnerships.”

Jade Gough, from Severn Trent's Community Fund team, said: “AEDdonate do some absolutely amazing work and offer people life skills and knowledge that can be truly lifesaving. We’re genuinely really thrilled to be able to support them with this grant. 

“We want to hear from any groups or organisations that have projects that need funding support and which can make a real, tangible difference to their communities.”

For more information on the Severn Trent Community Fund and to find out how to make an application visit: https://www.stwater.co.uk/about-us/severn-trent-community-fund/

If you would like more information about community defibrillators, Basic Life Support training, and defibrillator maintenance, please contact AEDdonate on 01785 472226 or email info@aeddonate.org.uk.

For more information about sponsorships/partnerships and fundraising, please contact a.mottershead@aeddonate.org.uk