Choir’s cash to save lives in Findochty

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Buckie and District Community Choir chairwoman Kathleen Thompson (front left) and founder Jane Murray (front left) are handed a public access defibrillator for Findochty town hall by Pam Gowie from Lucky2Bhere.
Picture: Eric Cormack. Image No. 041954
BUCKIE COMMUNITY CHOIR RAISED MONEY FROM A CHARITY CONCERT AND DONATED SOME PROCEEDS TO “GLAD2 B HERE” SO THEY COULD INSTALL A DIFIBRILLAROR AT FINDOCHTY TOWN HALL. JANE MURRAY 2ND LEFT] AND KATHLEEN THOMPSON [2ND RIGHT] MADE THE PRESENTATION TO PAM GOWIE. WATCHED BY RON DAWSON [LEFT] AND ANDREW SLATER [RIGHT] WITH PETER WHITE BESIDE STAND AND FINDOCHTY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Members of a buckie choir have put themselves at the heart of two local communities with donations that could save lives. The Buckie and District Community Choir handed out more than £3000 to fund the provision of public access
defibrillators in Findochty and Portgordon. Last Wednesday the first of those was unveiled at Findochty town hall. Choir chairwoman Kathleen Thompson said: “We recently made the decision to distribute some of our funds to support the wider buckie community. “Findochty and Portgordon are to benefit from the installation of public access defibrillators and the project has seen us team up with scottish charity Lucky2bhere, who will supply the defibrillator devices and emergency life support training for local volunteers. “Input has also been offered to pupils at the local primary schools as well as the secondary school. “Lucky2bhere will return in a year’s time to undertake refresher training in the community.”
At the unveiling on Wednesday choir members provided entertainment, followed by refreshments, before the defibrillator was formally handed over. Afterwards, 22 volunteers from the community underwent emergency life support training from Lucky2bhere.
The second defibrillator is likely to be unveiled in October at the Lampie Hoose in Portgordon. Cash for the defibrillator project was raised through a variety of events, including raffles and coffee mornings. Ms Thompson said: “The suggested donation by Lucky2bhere for a defibrillator
is £1500 but thanks to the generosity of local folks who attended our concert and fundraisers we’ve been able to hand over more than the recommended amount.” Buckie and District Community Choir was founded five years ago by Jane Murray and has around 100 members.
Lucky2bhere was established in 2007 by Ross Cowie who had experienced a cardiac
arrest and was lucky in that an ambulance was nearby on the evening of the arrest and was able to use lifesaving 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. Meanwhile, it has been announced that the british Heart Foundation, Microsoft and the NHs are to join forces in a project that will create a map of public access defibrillators such as the one at Findochty, across the UK. Welcoming the news, local MSP Stewart Stevenson said: “I welcome this development and I am pleased that scotland will be included in the initial trial phase.”