LIFESAVING equipment is now available to provide emergency help for residents who walk on the Moor.

A defibrillator has been installed outside Manchester Road Medical Centre in Knutsford with help from Redrow.

Knutsford Community First Responder Trust (KCFRT) received £1,500 from the housebuilder towards the cost of the automated external defibrillator (AED), which was also part-funded by donations from local residents.

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The recently installed emergency equipment is one of more than 30 community accessible public defibrillators managed by the charity within a five mile radius of the town.

Sal Thompson, secretary and AED lead of KCFRT, said: “We successfully applied to Redrow’s Knutsford Fund to help cover the cost of an AED and cabinet for outside the surgery.

“Redrow’s generous donation, combined with our own crowdfunding, means we’ve been able to install a defibrillator to provide an emergency service to local residents and those who walk the moor.

“It means the people of Knutsford will have access to livesaving equipment.”

Knutsford Guardian: Redrow’s Rachael Reece and Sal Thompson, from the Knutsford Community First Responder Trust, with the defibrillator outside Manchester Road Medical CentreRedrow’s Rachael Reece and Sal Thompson, from the Knutsford Community First Responder Trust, with the defibrillator outside Manchester Road Medical Centre (Image: Redrow)

For every minute that a person in cardiac arrest goes without being successfully treated with an AED, the chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent.

Sal said: “Our provision of external AED’s is ongoing and will not stop until all areas have quick access to a unit.”

Redrow’s donation was through a voluntary £10,000 community fund linked to its Tabley Park development.

Area sales manager Amanda Hollins said: “A defibrillator can make a massive difference to the potential survivability in the event of a cardiac arrest.

“We were happy to help Knutsford Community First Responder Trust reach their fundraising goal, although we hope that no one needs to use the defibrillator.

“We also have more than 100 defibrillators across all of our live developments and regional offices.

“They can be accessed by staff, contractors and the local community in the event of a medical emergency.

“The one from Tabley Park will ultimately be gifted to the community once the development is completed.”