FIRST RESPONDERS in Earley has been given a lift thanks to a local house builder.
Persimmon Homes North London has donated £1,000 to the Lower Earley and Earley Community First Responders (CFRs), which will go towards a new piece of patient lifting equipment.
The team, as well as attending life-threatening 999 calls, can now also respond to concerns for welfare and non-injury falls. The donation will be used to buy a Mangar Elk Lifting Cushion to assist in their work.
Paul Robson, spokesman for the group, said: “If a full ambulance crew is deployed to a non-injury fall their target arrival time is within three hours. With funding for the right equipment, one of our local responders can attend in under 30 minutes to assess the faller and, by using the lifting cushion, can help them get up off the floor. This quick response often removes the need for a trip to hospital and a full ambulance attendance.
“The lifting cushion will be shared across our local team allowing them to respond to a greater number of calls. Over the last 12 months, our team has given more than 2,000 hours of volunteering.”
The gift is part of its Community Champions scheme, which has run since 2015, aimed at supporting groups that help the over 70s. Two donations of £1,000 are made every month.
Sales director Rachel Faulkner said: “We believe in supporting the local communities where we build and can see that our donation will certainly help many people in difficulties after a fall, especially the elderly.”
To find out more information Community Champions, or to nominate a charity or organisation that supports the over-70s, visit https://www.persimmonhomes.com/community-champions