A NEW defibrillator has been installed on the wall of a Mangotsfield pub.
The life-saving device has been bought thanks to a fundraising campaign by staff and regulars at the Lamb in Windsor Place, with support from other local organisations.
Defibrillators can be used to give a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest and, along with CPR, can keep a patient alive until they can be given professional treatment.
General manager Kate Poole said fundraising started after a medical emergency involving a customer last summer, where staff called 999 and were advised to find a defibrillator nearby.
She said: “That spurred us on to raise money for it.”
In total around £2,500 has been raised, from bingo nights, Halloween and Christmas events, drag nights and children’s parties, as well as individual donations from customers.
Support has also come from St James Church quiz nights, whose attendees have raised around £300, and a donation from the Mangotsfield Residents Association.
The defibrillator has been mounted on the outside of the building, so that it can be used when the pub is closed, and went online in August.
In an emergency when it is needed, 999 operators can give a caller a code to the box’s combination lock.
Another defibrillators is mounted on the wall of the Grapevine.
Mangotsfield Residents Association chair Clive Heath said: “Thanks to Kate, Tracey and the team at the Lamb, who have worked hard with charity events to raise the money, and also to all who donated.
“This is a great asset to the community and could be a life-saver.”