A new defibrillator unit has been installed on the side of ‘Picks’ in the town centre after a community calendar raised over £800.

Members of the ‘ Halesowen Times - Take Two’ Facebook Group collaborated on the project which saw photographs submitted online after it was suggested that  funds should be raised for a local good cause.  

Fifteen suggestions were put forward, with former Halesowen BID manager, Rebecca Howard, suggesting a defibrillator for the town centre, after a freedom of information request found that were none with 24 hour access in the area. Nici Patchett, an administrator of the Facebook group behind the scheme, said:

“Sales of the calendar raised £815, which was just short of the quote we were given by a local business earlier in the year.

“When the new BID manager, Vicky, took over in Spring, she looked into prices and fittings and, along with a small donation from a local business, we were able to buy the defib, which was amazing.

”The chances of someone in cardiac arrest surviving are dramatically increased with units like this - and anyone is capable of using it. Although we hope we never have to, it’s amazing to think that this defib is available in our town centre and the community put it there.”

At a BID meeting earlier this month, Isabel Hampton, the new Landlady at Picks in the town centre, offered the pub’s outside wall as a location for the defib to be installed. Traders in the town centre will be able to sign up for training sessions to teach them how to use the life-saving device, however any member of the community will have access to it.

The unit is secured via a code lock, used to keep outdoor units protected. The enclosure can be opened with a number passed by the emergency services after someone dials 999.

The unit will be officially unveiled to the public on Friday 26th July at 3:30pm.

The Halesowen Times community are set to produce another calendar for 2020 with the proceeds going to Wild Acre Rescue.