Life-saving equipment installed

A public-access defibrillator has been installed outside an office belonging to Wathall’s funeral directors following a community fundraising appeal.

The equipment, which has been installed at its branch in Duffield Road, Allestree, is registered with East Midlands Ambulance Service and anyone alerting the emergency services to a suspected cardiac arrest is provided with an access code for the defibrillator if appropriate.

The £1,600 fundraising campaign to buy and install the equipment was spearheaded by city councillor for Allestree, Steve Hassall, whose sister tragically died from a heart attack earlier this year.

He said: “We wanted to do something positive in her memory and asked around as to where we needed to install a defibrillator in the local area.

“The A6 Duffield Road was deemed the best location and we are grateful that Wathall’s agreed to have the equipment installed at the front of their office.”

Helen Wathall MBE, of Wathall’s, said: “Many people’s lives are affected by cardiac arrest, and we were only too happy to support the installation of the defibrillator, which could very well make the difference in such an emergency situation.”