A new defibrillator has been installed in Barrow town centre.

This lifesaving equipment can be found on Dalton Road located directly outside the ‘Got it Covered Again’ store.

The defibrillator is the result of a partnership between Barrow Business Improvement District and Pennine Community Credit Union (PCCU).

The device was funded through a charitable donation by PCCU, a not-for-profit credit union that provides savings accounts, financial education and affordable loans to the local community.

Barrow BID, who have organised the installation and maintenance, expressed how thankful they are for the donation.

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Barrow BID Project Manager Paul Hodgson highlighted how it could potentially help a member of the community at a time of need.

"We are deeply grateful to PCCU for selecting the Dalton Road location for this vital defibrillator,” he said.

“This life-saving device not only ensures the safety of residents from the Barrow but visitors shopping at the excellent businesses within the town centre. It also demonstrates the powerful impact of community collaboration in fostering a safer environment for all."

Barrow’s new defibrillator is registered on The Circuit – the national defibrillator network, which connects defibrillators to NHS ambulance services across the UK.

PCCU Development Officer Lee Banks explained why the credit union decided to start this community-focused project.

He said: “At PCCU’s 2024 AGM our account holders voted to support the communities we provide ethical savings and loan accounts to with a £20,000 charitable donation to install defibrillators.

“It has been rewarding to work with partners in the community, like Barrow BID, across Cumbria and Lancashire, to install life-saving equipment. As not-for-profit cooperative we only operate to benefit our members and the wider community.”

In the UK, around 60,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year and less than 1 in 10 people survive.

According to the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), defibrillation within five minutes can result in survival rates as high as 70%.

NWAS Community Resuscitation Engagement Officer Yvette Browne said: “Thousands of families in the UK are left devasted by cardiac arrest every year. Early use of a defibrillator with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can more than double a person’s chance of survival.

“The defibrillator is available for use when calling 999 and the closest available defibrillator will be allocated, anyone can use a defibrillator and is designed for the untrained user.”