Sheffield village receives donation towards its community defibrillator from David Wilson Homes Yorkshire West
Residents in a South Yorkshire village are closing in on their financial goal for a community defibrillator following months of fundraising and a generous donation boost from David Wilson Homes.
Residents from Wharncliffe Side, close to the Homebuilder’s Oughtibridge Valley development, began raising funds for a defibrillator to be placed outside the Wharncliffe Arms Public House in June 2023. After three months of fundraising, David Wilson Homes donated £500 to the local campaign, which has brought the fund closer to its goal and the 5 Star Homebuilder hopes other businesses will join the appeal to raise money for the vital life-saving equipment.
Defibrillators are recognised for giving the best possible chance of survival for someone suffering a cardiac arrest and more are being placed in local communities, with more than 3,000 known defibrillators across Yorkshire. The government recently confirmed that all state-funded schools in England now have a life-saving defibrillator with over 20,000 defibrillators delivered to almost 18,000 schools since January.
The life-saving device works by giving a high energy electric shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm. According to the British Heart Foundation, less than 1 in 10 people survive a sudden cardiac arrest and concerningly, it was recently reported that heart deaths have surged by more than 500 a week since the pandemic.
Recognising the defibrillator will be integral to keeping the community safe, David Wilson Homes Yorkshire West made the donation as part of its commitment to supporting those living in the areas close to its developments. The 5 Star Homebuilder has previously supported pupils in the area, working with Wharncliffe Side Primary School and a local storyteller to provide a fun and interactive session of storytelling.
Gavin Birch, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Yorkshire West said: Gavin Birch, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Yorkshire West said: “It’s been brilliant to be a part of the village’s fundraising to purchase a community defibrillator. As a local Homebuilder, we are dedicated to supporting communities and improving the lives of those living in the areas where we operate and we hope this will inspire other local businesses to follow suit and donate to this much needed cause”.
Louisa Bertram at Wharcliffe Defib added: “We’re so grateful to David Wilson Homes for their generous donation. Thanks to all our sponsors we’re getting closer each day to buying a defibrillator for the village. It was recently reported that heart deaths have surged more than 500 a week since the pandemic, which is a worrying statistic. Having a community defibrillator in the heart of Wharncliffe Side will help protect our residents from such a thing.”
Oughtibridge Valley is set on the edge of the Peak District National Park and is a stunning collection of three and four bedroom homes. Nestled among picturesque woodland, Oughtibridge Valley is ideal for professionals and families alike. With excellent transport links to Sheffield and Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ schools nearby, Oughtibridge Valley is the perfect place to call home. For more information, please visit www.dwh.co.uk/oughtibridge-valley
