A Shrewsbury Girlguiding group has received a potentially lifesaving defibrillator thanks to a local charity established in memory of a much-loved community supporter.
The Mount District Girlguiding group is delighted to have received a new defibrillator, donated by the Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust, for use at the Copthorne Scout and Guide HQ on Rad Valley Road, Shrewsbury.
The need for a publicly accessible defibrillator was identified by District Commissioner Jayne Shergold, who realised that there was no readily available device for the Girlguiding groups using the centre or for the surrounding community.
The new AED will provide an important additional safety measure for the many young people, volunteers, and community members who use the headquarters.
Around 30,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK each year. When a defibrillator is used alongside CPR within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, it can significantly increase the chances of survival, making access to an AED in local communities particularly important.
The Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust was established in 2019 by his wife Sally, following the sudden death of Henry Angell-James, who suffered a cardiac arrest while travelling on his regular train journey from Birmingham to Shrewsbury, where he lived.
The Trust’s sole aim is to provide lifesaving defibrillators to communities in the West Midlands and beyond where they might otherwise be unaffordable.
Henry was a strong believer in supporting small charities and understood that funding can often be difficult to secure. He believed that sometimes the simplest ideas can make the biggest difference, a philosophy which continues through the work of the Trust.
Henry’s son, Harry, together with his wife Sally, recently visited the Girlguiding headquarters in Copthorne, Shrewsbury, to see the new defibrillator and meet local tradesmen Ben Morris of Ben Morris Electrical and builder and carpenter Jack Buckley of Jack Buckley Building & Carpentry, who both volunteered their time to install the defibrillator for the community. They also had the opportunity to meet some of the enthusiastic Brownies who will benefit from having the equipment available at their meeting place.
Sally Angell-James, said: “The installation was very much a community effort, demonstrating what can be achieved when local organisations come together with a shared purpose. Girlguiding is run entirely by volunteers, whose time, energy and commitment make a lasting difference to the lives of girls and young women. Henry would have been proud that we were able to donate a defibrillator, which could just save a young person in the communities’ life.”
One of Shropshire’s Girlguiding District Commissioners, Jayne Shergold, said: “To watch the girl who was challenging when she started with us become the girl that made you cry when she left because she was so delightful, confident and ready and excited for the next challenge makes it all worthwhile.
“The new defibrillator is much more than a piece of lifesaving equipment. It represents Henry’s continuing legacy, the dedication of Girlguiding volunteers, and the power of local communities to come together and support one another.
‘For the Brownies and everyone who uses the Copthorne Scout and Guide HQ, it is also a practical reminder that a small act of generosity can have a potentially life-changing impact.”
To find out more about the The Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust please visit www.hajmt.co.uk where you can donate to the charity or apply for a defibrillator for your organisation. Or you can email info@hajmt.co.uk call 07
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