West Berkshire police rise to a different beat
The 11 officers took on the challenge of scaling Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons to raise money for Heartstart Thatcham.
The fundraising followed Newbury Pc Keiran Baker performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on his friend, Russell Barrett, until an automated external defibrillator (AED) arrived after he collapsed at this year’s Bayer 10K run.
Pc Baker has links to Heartstart Thatcham, which teaches basic emergency life support skills and is campaigning for AEDs to be installed across the district and - eventually - the country.
Speaking to the Newbury Weeklys News, police sergeant Paul Learoyd said the group had been inspired by Pc Baker’s heroics.
He said: “We thought we’d give Heartstart a big helping hand and raise as much money as possible.
"Our job was relatively simple in trying to raise the money... we’ve raised at least £800 which will buy one defibrillator. Even if it saves one life it has paid for itself.”
Dressed in full evening wear, West Berkshire’s finest pounded the slopes carrying dining equipment for tea and cucumber sandwiches; reaching the 886 metre peak in around two hours.
Sgt. Learoyd said that AEDs were “literally fool proof” and that West Berkshire should follow the example of some US cities where the devices were installed on street corners.
Dr Nick Young, of Heartstart Thatcham, praised Pc Baker’s heroics at the Bayer 10K and said that the money from the climb would be used to install an AED in Newbury town centre.
He said: “It really means the world to us and we are all over the moon to say the least with what PC Baker and his team are doing.
"This has the potential to save a life and to us that is what it is all about, making a difference. Installing AED's everywhere is vital to giving a cardiac arrest casualty the best chance of survival.
“The skills PC Baker used can be learnt by anyone, and for free in about two hours. Think about which is better, to come and learn the skills and never use them or not learn the skills and find you needed them?”
For more information visit http://heartstartthatcham.info
