Community organisations can now apply for the Community Automated External Defibrillators (AED) fund.
Backed by £1 million of government funding, the defibrillator grant will provide at least 1,000 new defibrillators for community spaces across England. Each new defibrillator will be externally mounted to enable 24 hour access by members of the public.
To receive funding, community organisations will be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed, such as rural areas, places with high footfall or spaces for vulnerable people. Examples include town halls, community centres, local shops, post offices and local parks, as these spaces ensure that defibrillators are evenly spread throughout communities and easily accessible if someone is experiencing an unexpected cardiac arrest.
Richard Fuller MP said:
This fund builds on the work of the Government, NHS and others to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest through the use of defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Defibrillators can provide vital life-saving treatment, with latest research showing that accessing these devices within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%.
Applications for funding will be submitted to Smarter Society and the London Hearts Charity, who have been jointly chosen to manage the grant funding as they will bring industry knowledge of defibrillators and an understanding of where they should be installed. They have designed engagement and application processes to appeal to a wide and diverse audience.
For more details and to make an application, please visit the government website:
