St Andrews First Aid, Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, has been awarded a £28,000 lifeline from leading Scottish convenience retailer, Scotmid.
The funding has been used to purchase new uniforms for staff and volunteers across Scotland, including those located in Edinburgh, who provide life-saving training and emergency response services.
Stuart Callison, CEO at St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Scotmid’s generous donation means we can purchase more uniforms that will help to enhance our visibility and identity when we cover events or provide public demonstrations.
We are extremely grateful to Scotmid for this support and continued partnership in helping us achieve our mission of making Scotland a safer place for all.”
Lynne Ogg, Scotmid Membership & Communities Manager, added: “The work that St Andrew’s First Aid delivers in communities across Scotland is invaluable and we are proud to continue supporting such a worthy charity.
“The funding will assist the organisation in ensuring its dedicated volunteers are easily identifiable and bring peace of mind to the general public when attending events.”
St Andrew’s First Aid provides vital first aid and mental first aid courses and actively promotes first aid education in schools and communities. Its mission is rooted in the belief that no one should suffer or lose their life due to a lack of first aid assistance.
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has partnered up with Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider, St Andrew’s First Aid, to provide free Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds.
The SMSA put a call out to the 190+ Men’s Sheds across Scotland inviting them to apply for the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and received 44 applications showing a huge demand for this vital equipment (retailed at just over £1,500) to be located at Shed premises across Scotland.
The ten recipients will use the equipment to not only protect their members but – with the addition of an outdoor cabinet purchased by the Shed – will also make them accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.
Chris Jowsey, Treasurer of Glenkens Men’s Shed, said: “One of our members had a cardiac arrest whilst at the Shed and sadly passed away despite the prompt actions of his fellow Shedders to get medical assistance. We can’t help but wonder if we’d had a defibrillator that day, if the outcome might have been different.
“We are delighted to have received this defibrillator through the SMSA and St Andrews First Aid and to be able to make it accessible to our entire community.”
Tom Bennett of Springburn Park Men’s Shed (above) said: “We have been trying to raise funds for a defibrillator for over two years for our Shed located within a public park in our village.
“We are thrilled to accept and maintain this defibrillator and make it accessible to our members, other community groups, park users and the general public.”
Jim Dorman, Director of Campaigns and Public Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Knowing that these vital pieces of equipment will be available to both members of the ten Sheds and to the wider communities will hopefully bring considerable peace of mind.
“With every minute that passes following a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by 10%. Swift use of a defibrillator is all the difference needed to significantly increase a person’s chance of survival. We are delighted to donate these defibrillators to help more communities save lives.”
The successful Men’s Sheds across Scotland are: Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed; Forfar and District Men’s Shed; Glenkens Men’s Shed; Inverurie & District Men’s Shed; Macmerry Men’s Shed; Mens Shed Dumfries; Pentlands Men’s Shed; Peterhead & District Men’s Shed; Springburn Park Men’s Shed; and Whale Firth Men’s Shed.
There is still time to apply for the prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2021 from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA).
2021 Timeline:
Deadline for applications: Midnight on Sunday 26th September 2021
Shortlist announced and open to public vote: Monday 4th October 2021
Closed to public vote: Midnight on Sunday 17th October 2021
Winner announced at SMSA AGM/Awards event: Thursday 4th November 2021
