New defibrillator installed on Wilderspool Causeway

The defibrillator was installed on Saturday, July 31, at St John’s United Reformed Church and is available for the community to use.

Rita Griffiths, synod clerk for the United Reformed Church in Mersey and an elder at St John’s church, organised the purchase of the new defibrillator after noticing there was not one within a mile.

Rita’s original aim was to get some grants and to ask the hall users, local businesses and church members to donate towards the purchase of it.

Rita, who lives on Wilderspool Causeway, managed to gain a grant of £500 from a church group, Nathanial Rayner Trust, as well as the Oliver King Foundation who provided the defibrillator and knocked £300 off the original price.

The new defibrillator on Wilderspool Causeway

The foundation was set up in memory of Oliver King, a 12 year old boy who attended a school in Liverpool.

Whilst winning a swimming race in a PE lesson, he tragically suffered a sudden cardiac arrest due to a condition unknown – Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

Warrington Open Door at Christmas, who use the church premises over the festive period to feed the lonely and homeless, also gave St John’s a donation of £1,500.

Oliver King’s dad, Mark, delivered the device this week and handed over the certificates for the training which took place in July.