MP Praises United Effort Over Defibrillators Following ‘Productive’ Conference

Beverley and Holderness MP, Graham Stuart, says the community is fully behind his efforts to improve access to life-saving defibrillators after he hosted a summit for local fundraisers and the emergency services.

The MP, who for many years has championed greater awareness and availability of Community Public Access Defibrillators (CPADs) across East Yorkshire, said the conference had helped build a strategy for improving provision and education across the region.

Those who attended the conference included representatives from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, the SMILE Foundation as well a number of local charities and fundraisers.

Graham Stuart said: “I was delighted to host this conference to raise awareness of Community Public Access Defibrillators in our community, and explore how we can get more CPADs across Beverley and Holderness with more people using them.

“There are a number of areas for improvement: from mapping where we currently have CPADs and where still needs them, to widening the availability of training in basic life-saving situations.

“It was fantastic to hear from local fundraisers such as Jordan Moor, who is doing all he can to get more defibrillators in public spaces in the memory of his late step-father, Dr Alan Sykes. Today’s productive conference will help to make sure that people like Jordan are not doing it by themselves, and realise that by working we can build on the achievements we have already.”

Amy Leathley, from the Tickton Defibrillator Campaign, said: “It is brilliant to see our local MP bringing together various organisations to keep this issue in the public eye. Having worked with Graham on the ‘Tour de Tickton’ – where he cycled around various new CPADs across our community – I know how committed he is to this campaign.

“After today’s conference, I am much more confident that fundraisers and providers will maintain a closer relationship with the emergency services, which is so important if we are going to continue saving lives.”