by Jill Stocks
Councillors, companies and individuals have all contributed to the replacement of one of three defibrillators on Horsforth Vale Estate. But the story goes back much further than that.
Thanks to the generosity of locals, businesses and funding from councillors since 2019 Horsforth Vale has had three defibrillators at its disposal, providing life-saving tools for the community.
And when it was recently discovered that one of these had to be replaced the community was quickly there again to raise the funds needed.
Trevor Hopton is a guardian for five local defibrillators for Public Access Defibrillators. His primary role is to ensure all five of these defibrillators are rescue ready through monthly checks. But there is also a very personal aspect to Trevor’s role:
“I suppose the Horsforth Vale defibrillators story began following my Cardiac Arrest back in 2019.
“I was out cycling one cold January morning with a friend and had not got very far when I collapsed off my cycle and went into cardiac arrest. Through the quick thinking of a few people around on a Saturday morning my life was saved by a community defibrillator which was some 50 metres away.
“My story and accident was covered by a local newspaper and from that a person called Brian Firth contacted me. Brian Firth, as I found out, is a very inspirational and driven person who founded Public Access Defibrillators. He was interested in my story of survival and wanted to meet me.”
In August of 2019 a fundraising event was organised which raised funds for two defibrillators for The Vale, which was well supported by locals and local councillors. And when Redrow housing heard the story they donated a third for the estate.
Redrow were the developers of the site between Calverley and Horsforth which provided £7million of housing in the area. They also contributed towards local education and the provision of a vital bus link from the estate to Horsforth train station as part of the project.
Work began in 2014, with the final house sale completed in December of 2020, and the community has grown in strength and spirit since then, reflected in the swift response to both fundraising for pads and batteries for the equipment in 2023 and for the recent efforts to fund a replacement defibrillator.
Routine checks on the equipment in March identified a fault with one of the defibrillators, and the most cost effective solution was to replace rather than repair.
A justgiving page was launched and the target of £1,500 was quickly reached through donations from residents, a MICE money contribution of £300 from Horsforth Councillors John Garvani and Ray Jones, and a £300 donation from Tudor International Freight, a company on the industrial estate at the top of Horsforth Vale.
Adam Johnson is a director at Tudor. He said: “Having defibrillators installed at both ends of Horsforth Vale offers reassurance to residents and businesses alike in the event of an emergency.
“This has been a community effort, led by Trevor Hopton, to raise the funds needed to maintain these vital, life‑saving kits so they are always accessible and ready to use.
“As a local business, it was important for us to play our part and support an initiative that benefits the wider community.”
At present there are two defibrillators at Horsforth Vale. On discovering the fault in the defibrillator at the convenience store on the estate in March it was decided to move the defibrillator from the cricket pavilion to the convenience store to make sure the most central point was covered until a replacement could be funded.
Once justgiving funds have cleared a replacement defibrillator will be placed at the cricket pavilion to accompany the one at the convenience store and the existing defibrillator at Mill Square, taking the number available on Horsforth Vale back up to three.
For more information on public access defibrillators and where they are located visit the website.