Life-saving defibrillators come to Blackshawhead

Blackshawhead now has two life-saving defibrillators thanks to an appeal by resident Edith Bowman after her husband suffered a heart attack.
John Spikings from Yorkshire Ambulance Service (centre), launching the defibrillator at Blackshaw Methodist Chapel, with Edith Bowman (second left), Chairman of Blackshaw Parish Council, Roger Butterworth (centre) and other residents.John Spikings from Yorkshire Ambulance Service (centre), launching the defibrillator at Blackshaw Methodist Chapel, with Edith Bowman (second left), Chairman of Blackshaw Parish Council, Roger Butterworth (centre) and other residents.
John Spikings from Yorkshire Ambulance Service (centre), launching the defibrillator at Blackshaw Methodist Chapel, with Edith Bowman (second left), Chairman of Blackshaw Parish Council, Roger Butterworth (centre) and other residents.

Around 30 residents, including the chairman of the Parish Council, attended the training and launch event for the defibrillators, which have been installed at the New Delight pub at Jack Bridge and Blackshawhead Methodist Chapel, both of whom have agreed to fund electricity costs to the unit.

Mrs Bowman approached the Parish Council for help in exploring options for defibrillators. As a result, John Spikings from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service was invited to a council meeting and gave a talk on how defibrillators can make the difference between life and death.

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“When my husband had a heart attack in 2015, although the ambulance got here as quickly as it could, it made us realise that, had it been a full-blown cardiac arrest, it might have been too late. Blackshawhead can be difficult to get to, especially in winter. We didn’t want anybody else to be in that situation,” said Mrs Bowman.

“I put out an email on the village Google group saying we were trying to purchase a defibrillator. The community responded immediately and the pledges came pouring in - so much so we’ve managed to buy two without even needing to apply for other sources of funding.”

The money raised also covered a training session on how to use the defibrillators.