Our 2022 Mission Stats

January 24, 2023

Heartstarters teach CPR to Bristol councillors and a motion is passed to improve defibrillator access

February 3, 2023

Defibrillator Hall of Fame

Published by Joolz Ingram at February 1, 2023

An AED is an easy-to-use medical device that can deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to someone who is in cardiac arrest. It is an essential part in trying to save their life. CPR should be done until a defibrillator reaches the person.

Right now, only 40% of people receive early CPR and fewer than 2% have a defibrillator used prior to the ambulance arriving. The availability of AEDs and the knowledge of how to use them is inadequate.

We simply need more defibrillators in our communities.

By placing an AED in your building or street you are increasing the chance of survival for someone suffering a cardiac arrest nearby, by up to 70%. You will help to play a part in ensuring more lives are saved. Lives like those of Steve, Trevor and Chris.

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) have partnered with Heartsafe to launch an all in one lifesaving automated external defibrillator (AED) package.

The collaboration means it's easy for you to place a defibrillator on your building or in your street. So if someone suffers a cardiac arrest nearby, your AED could save their life.

Here are some of the community champions who have installed a defibrillator in their local area

We The Curious, Millennium Square, Bristol

“Sam was beautiful on the outside but most importantly he was so beautiful on the inside. In his honour we have raised enough money to install our first public access defibrillator in Millennium square, Bristol, where he tragically passed. To save other lives in Sam’s name, he would want us to do this"

Louise Polledri - mother of former patient, Sam Polledri and founder of the Sam Polledri Foundation

Clifton Downs Cafe, Bristol

"When we realised there wasn’t a defibrillator available on the Clifton Downs available for public access, we made it a goal of ours at Try Tag Rugby Bristol to have one installed. Timely access to a defibrillator in the event of a cardiac arrest can be life saving. Given the popularity of the downs for sport and leisure we felt this would be a hugely important addition to the area. Our players at Try Tag Rugby Bristol shared our ambition and helped us fundraise, with all ticket proceeds from our 2021 Christmas party going to the cause.

It’s fantastic to see the defibrillator now in position on The Downs Cafe, the culmination of a project made possible by GWAAC, The Downs Cafe and the Sam Polledri Foundation".
- James Hawken, Try Tag Rugby

Churchill Parish Council

Churchill Parish Council wanted to add an additional Defibrillator to the parish due to the increase in residents and traffic, the existing device can not cover the whole area. The Parish Council approached Pro Heating who agreed to house the device which is an excellent spot on Langford Road, Langford, BS40 5HU

W3W - glimmers.cold.kiosk

Codrington Arms, Iron Acton

“On behalf of Iron Acton Parish Council and its parishioners I would like to say thank you for the new defibrillator that has now been successfully installed at The Codrington Arms. It has been great to see an idea that came from one of our parishioners being realised by the collaboration of people from Newland Homes, IAPC and the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. As a former nurse I understand all too well how critical it is to have access to emergency equipment quickly. This defibrillator is an important community asset which we are very pleased to have.”

Brunel's SS Great Britain, Bristol

“On behalf of the SS Great Britain, it’s been an absolute honour to site one of these defibrillators.

It’s not only going to support us as an organisation but everyone else in the surrounding community! ”

Mount of Olives Church, Coleford

“As a local paramedic I have seen first-hand the lifesaving abilities of local accessible defibrillators and wanted to see where in the town another cabinet would be useful, so decided to take on a fundraising project for this purpose.

I approached the church due to the location in a large housing estate and ease of access to the cabinet. They were hugely supportive and between the church members raised over £1300 with another £1000 being provided by a grant that I applied for from Coleford town council.

I chose to work with GWAAC as they have a comprehensive [scheme] for getting a cabinet installed and the support is fantastic. Carlota from Great Western Heartstarters education programme was also able to help me in providing a training session for nearly 30 members of the community to be trained in CPR & use of a defibrillator following the installation of the cabinet.”

Colehouse Farm Caravan Park, Clevedon

“The suggestion was made by members of the community here at Colehouse Farm Caravan Park about the possibility of having a defibrillator on site. We had all seen them dotted all around the local area on village halls etc. but had never thought about the what-if’s and would they be accessible to us in an emergency. With the nearest one being over half a mile away and the information regarding the statistics for survival we decided very quickly that a community funded defibrillator is a great idea. We made contact with GWAAC and quickly got the fundraising page up and running and the community here set about raising the funds in any way they could and they are all incredibly proud to see the cabinet installed and ready to go already.”

Walnut Grove Clinic and Studio, Portishead

“We took over ownership of Walnut Grove Clinic in 2021 but have worked there since 2007. We live and work in Portishead and our children go to school and many clubs here. We've seen the town rapidly grow despite not being from here originally. ”

“When we took over we wanted to do something for the community to show what our ethos was and reassure people what we were about. There was literally no contest or second thought as to what to do. The clinic, being healthcare, needed/should have a defib but I didn't see the point in having an internal one with restricted use. It then made sense we try and fundraise for a second at our studio location, which we also share with a gym and is near many local business on an industrial and housing estate, benefitting yet more people. ”

Red Boat Consulting, Clevedon

“After more than 20 years volunteering for HM Coastguard in Clevedon, we full appreciate the benefits that early access to an AED can provide to the saving of lives. The centre of our town and the seafront have a number of public access defibrillators but the residential areas are sadly lacking. Late last year, our Business Consultancy saw an opportunity to place one on our home on the east side of town. We spoke to our friends at Heartsafe who signposted the opportunity to partner with GWAAC in the provision of the public access defibrillator. Since it’s installation, we have leafleted more that 250 homes in the local area, along with business premises and shops, with laminated sheets directing them to its location. We are now looking to start training those interested in learning how to use a defibrillator. We hope this won’t be the last public access defibrillator we place in our community. ”

Find your nearest defibrillator

Your nearest defibrillator should be within a three minute return walk. Where is yours?

Find out more about putting an AED in your community

Our crew brought early advanced care to over 500 people suffering a cardiac arrest in 2022, representing 28% of our incidents for that year.

Despite the extraordinary level of medical skill our crew bring to the scene, it's what happens prior to our arrival that can save a life.

Already own a defib?

Have you registered it with The Circuit?

Why get an automated external defibrillator (AED)?

Every year in the UK 30,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. For every minute that passes, a person's chance of survival goes down by 10%.

Sadly, only 1 in 10 survive.

We simply need more defibrillators in our communities.

Find out more about putting an AED in your community

Our 2022 Mission Stats

Heartstarters teach CPR to Bristol councillors and a motion is passed to improve defibrillator access

Our 2022 Mission Stats

Heartstarters teach CPR to Bristol councillors and a motion is passed to improve defibrillator access

Defibrillator Hall of Fame

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Clifton Chilli Club

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We simply need more defibrillators in our communities.