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Fundraising weekend secures Boxford's defibrillator




Open gardens and sponsored run raise cash

Boxford is to get a life- saving defibrillator, thanks to a huge community effort over one weekend, including open gardens and a sponsored run.

Villager Andrew Lyle said two contrasting events over a recent weekend raised more than £2,000 towards a public access defibrillator for Boxford.

A Boxford Open Gardens event raised £800, while a sponsored run, as part of the recent Inkpen Gibbet Challenge, raised £1,500.

“Despite rain on Sunday, more than 150 visitors admired the beauty of seven different gardens in the village at the open gardens weekend, and enjoyed refreshments by the river,” said Mr Lyle.

“And on Sunday, three friends of a much-loved recent heart-attack patient (now recovered) successfully completed the Gibbet Challenge from Inkpen to Combe Gibbet – twice!”

Villager Nadege Fleming, who completed the challenge’s 10k course in under an hour, said running for such a good cause gave them “much-needed wings”.

She continued: “It’s such an epic challenge, but we felt elated by the end of it and so glad it was over too. We would like to thank everyone for their generous donations.”

The sum raised means that the village can now purchase and install a defibrillator and train volunteers to use it.

At a recent public village meeting, it was decided unanimously that the device should be located at St Andrew’s Church.

Churchwarden Mr Lyle added: “I am very grateful to all who opened their gardens, served tea, created displays for the church or attended the car park: this is a tremendous community effort by the village. And as for the runners – wow!

“Housing this essential bit of medical kit at St Andrew’s puts the church at the physical and spiritual heart of the village –no pun intended.”



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