Richard Mye Chairperson Of Portessie Public Hall Management Committee Recieves A Cheque From Buckie Community Choir Member Andrew Savoury
Picture: Eric Cormack. Image No.043579
PORTESSIE has become the fourth local community to take delivery of a life-saving public access defibrillator. The device, which is now situated at Portessie Public Hall, was handed over by Buckie and District Community Choir. After the handover ceremony it was time for a rousing sing song led by choir members, enthusiastically backed by the audience. Choir chairwoman Kathleen Thompson told the Advertiser: “The choir is delighted to be able to gift this to the Portessie community and also fund the installation of the device and the emergency life- saving training for approximately 30 local people. “We are working in partnership with the trainers from the charity Lucky2Bhere. “They provide excellent and very thorough training sessions, which have been very well attended and received by each of the communities involved. “Also, the choir itself recently decided to go ahead and buy a defibrillator device of its own.
“We are at capacity now, with 100 members at the moment and we often have large audiences at our events. “The health and safety of our members and of audience members is key and having a device like this that we can use in an
emergency situation makes sense. “Volunteer choir members will be offered the chance to undertake emergency life-saving training in August or September.” A cheque to the tune of £1500 was also handed over to help cover the cost of the volunteer training.
Cash for the defibrillator has come from the proceeds of the choir’s concerts and fund-raisers. This pot of cash has also seen them provide units and volunteer training in Findochty, Portgordon and Portknockie. Lucky2Bhere was established in 2007 on the Isle of Skye by Ross Cowie who had experienced a cardiac arrest. He was very fortunate in that an ambulance was nearby on the evening of the arrest and was able to use life-saving equipment in their possession. As a result of his experience he decided to raise funds to purchase a defibrillator for the Skye Camanachd Shinty Club in Portree. A committee was established to raise funds to buy a defibrillator for the social club and train people to use it. From these beginnings the organisation grew in a way that had not been predicted. Lucky2BHere is a now a registered charity with an elected committee and trustees run on a voluntary basis with many people offering their time and support both on the island and the mainland.