A COMMUNITY has come together to mark the installation of lifesaving equipment in a village.

The new defibrillator in Medomsley, near Consett, has come about through close cooperation between the North East Ambulance Service, Durham County Councillor Alan Shield and Karbon Homes staff.

Residents of Magdalene Court sheltered housing were consulted about the re-siting of the equipment to a secure location on the wall of their building, and that work has now been completed.

Sections of the community came together recently to mark the installation.

Children from the Bishop Ian Ramsey C of E Primary School, stood alongside community activists and representatives of the housing association.

Councillor Alan Shield, who represents the area on Durham County Council, said: “The whole community has come together to deliver this project.

“The primary school donated their automated external defibrillator, grant funding was accessed by the Medomsley Action Group, and donations were received from some local residents to purchase the defibrillator cabinet.

“Training to use the defibrillator was coordinated and provided by the North East Ambulance Service and four residents have also been nominated as ‘defibrillator champions’ to ensure the defibrillator is always operational.

“The location of the defibrillator was crucial and it was extremely pleasing that Karbon Homes agreed that Magdalene Court, which is central to the village, could be strategically provided to locate the equipment.”

Karbon Homes owns or manages almost 30,000 properties across the North East and Yorkshire.

Mark Pears, a housing officer in the Retirement Living team at Karbon Homes, said: “It has been a real community effort to identify where the defibrillator could be installed, to make sure everybody was in agreement on how it would work, and that it was installed correctly.

“Thanks to all our partners for making this possible.”