A KNUTSFORD charity has taken groundbreaking steps to install lifesaving equipment in villages across the area.

Heartstart Knutsford has secured the first externally mounted automated external defibrillator (AED) in Plumley Village Hall, giving residents access to the vital machines right on their doorstep.

Adrian Rees, chairman of the Knutsford Community First Responders Team and co-ordinator of Heartstart Knutsford says that the equipment is essential to saving lives.

“Plumley is just the first,” he said. “People have died here of heart failure so this hopefully will prevent that from happening again.

“Plumley is a big community and an important through road. It has had a couple of deaths in the last few years that an AED could have helped.”

Heartstart are aiming to install more AEDS in communities around the Knutsford area, with Little Warford, Rostherne, Over Peover, Great Warford and Mere already committing to the programme.

Adrian said: “For the last 6 months we have put a huge amount of effort and money into getting the parish councils committed to installing these machines.

“Nobody’s got the same number of defibrillators as we have or trained as many people as us. In this whole area of north Cheshire, there will be nothing like it in the country.

“It is costing the trust quite a lot of money over the next year. We are not taking it lightly at all. We believe firmly that it is what people would want us to spend our donations on.”

The idea was initially put forward by Silvia Thomas, team leader for the Knutsford first responders, who approached Adrian in the hope that the plan would be implemented throughout the borough.

“It’s been an immense journey,” said Adrian. “It was a challenge to convince the parish councils that it is worth doing.

“Plumley have been very amenable. We have had to explain to villages why it would be beneficial to allocate some money for it.

“We started at the end of October last year, and nearly a year later, after committing two or three days a week to keep the ball rolling- we have done it.”

Heartstart will host an evening training course for Plumley residents at the village hall in the third week of September.

The next available course in Knutsford will take place on October 1.

For more information and to book a place, visit www.heartstartknutsford.co.uk