Local business National Grid Metering funds life-saving defibrillator in

Solihull Town Centre

oston Tea Party has become the latest Solihull town centre business to have a life-saving defibrillator installed on site.

The new unit was funded by National Grid Metering through their Community Budget, aiming to leave a legacy in Solihull.

Solihull Business Improvement District helped to find the prime spot on Herbert Road, just off Homer Road and Station Road, and Boston Tea Party were happy to have the new defibrillator installed on their outside wall. It provides public access to the vital kit 24 hours a day. The West Midlands Ambulance Service and FastAid have also been involved in the project from the outset.

National Grid Metering have since been honoured with a Community Initiative and Partnership Award for working collaboratively to support and assist the WMAS with the wellbeing and safety of those in the local community.

Ant Stokes and Chantelle Bogira, of National Grid Metering, said: “We are extremely proud and pleased to be able to provide this defibrillator to the local community.

“We would like to thank Boston Tea Party for agreeing to have the defibrillator installed outside their café. Hopefully, the new defibrillator will one day save a life.”

WMAS Community Response Manager, Andy Jeynes, said: “The chance of a person surviving a cardiac arrest falls by ten per cent for every minute that passes without a defibrillator being used. That is why this is such a fantastic initiative from National Grid to install a defibrillator in a public place, as it can only help to save lives.

“Obviously, we hope there is never a need to use it, but should the time happen, the machines are extremely easy to use, meaning people of all ages and walks of life can provide emergency care to those who need it quickly, prior to the arrival of the ambulance.”

Less than one in ten of people that suffer a cardiac arrest survive through to being discharged from hospital.

CPR and defibrillators are key to increasing survival rates. Performing CPR doubles the patient’s chances of survival and use of a defibrillator within the first five minutes, doubles it again.

Only two thirds of the adult population in the UK know how to do CPR. For more information on CPR and how you could potentially save a life, visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/first-aid/cpr/ ith so many bank branches disappearing from the High Street due to the ever-growing digitalisation of our finances, it’s refreshing to see HSBC’s commitment to their home on Poplar Road in Solihull town centre.

There are several defibrillators in Solihull town centre, some within businesses, and some publicly accessible like the one installed at Boston Tea Party. In an emergency, always call 999 who will be able to help locate your nearest device.

We would like to thank Boston Tea Party for agreeing to have the defibrillator installed outside their café. Hopefully, the new defibrillator will one day save a life.

The Solihull branch was closed for two weeks at the start of the year for a machinery refit but with the nearest full service branch seven miles away, HSBC wanted to keep serving the local community through a variety of different ways.

They set up a pop-up branch in the nearby Touchwood Shopping Centre, helping customers with enquiries and helping them with online banking.

The Solihull team also gave up their time to assist local causes, litter picking in and around the town centre and helping out at charity shops.

The Poplar Road branch is now back open and fully operational, assisting Solihull residents with all of their banking needs.

HSBC SOLIHULL

34 Poplar Road, Solihull, B91 3AF 03456 040 626 www.hsbc.co.uk

Monday – Friday | 9.30am – 4.30pm Saturday | 9.30am – 1pm