Aldermaston company donates 8 new defibrillators to ambulance charity, including one for Newbury

West Berkshire is now safer thanks to a generous donation by a local company.

Aldermaston water pump supplier, Pump Technology Ltd, has enabled eight new automated external defibrillators to be installed across Newbury, Reading and Bracknell.

The company has also donated a further £2,500 to the South Central Ambulance Charity to support the charity's community first responders. CFRs are funded entirely by donations and when not delivering life-saving patient care, they often give demonstrations at community events how to carry out CPR and use a defibrillator.

Less than one in ten people in the UK survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Two of the biggest factors contributing to this low number is that there are not enough people prepared to perform CPR, nor are there enough defibrillators available across the UK.

SCAS operations manager for community engagement and training, David Hamer, said: "I am delighted to have worked in collaboration with Pump Technology Ltd and Andy Keast of The London Irish Foundation on this project.

“I would also like to thank all the business owners that have agreed to have these cabinets sited on their premises.

“Without their assistance this project could never have been completed. I do hope these units never have to be used, but in the event of a cardiac arrest they could prove literally lifesaving."

"Although we are a national organisation, we never forget our proud Berkshire roots,” added Pump Technology's managing director, Jonathan Barker.

The eight new defibrillators are located at:

One Stop Shop, 1 Kiln Road, Shaw, Newbury, RG14 2HE,

John Lewis, Broad Street, Reading, RG1 2BB,

Launchpad Reading, The Stables, 1A Merchants Place, Reading, RG1 1DT,

Forbury Gardens, Reading, RG1 3EJ,

Southern Fried Chicken, Unit 1, Headley Road East, Woodley, RG5 4SQ,

Mill Park, Bracknell, RG12 7WT,

Toolstation, Trade City, Easthampstead Road, Bracknell, RG12 1YQ,

And Waitrose, Bond Way, Bracknell, RG12 1RQ.

The company has donated these eight defibrillator units to celebrate its 30-year anniversary, which is part of a larger programme with other units already in place.

All the defibrillators are registered with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, to ensure ambulance services can search, find and direct people to a nearby defibrillator if available.

Always call 999 to report a patient in cardiac arrest.