The Eight Bells get new defibrillator fitted

By IW Galleries Feb 25, 2020

The Eight Bells in Carisbrooke has proudly taken possession of a new defibrillator for community use and it is all as a result of local fundraising.

Joint owner of the popular local pub Kelly Early, started raising money for the equipment after her own father was diagnosed with a heart condition and the community ‘really rallied round’. A series of bingo and quiz nights, collection boxes on the bar and a second-hand book-shelf in the pub raised the £2,200 needed.

The defibrillator is housed in a secure, weather and vandal proof case and is available 24 hours a day every day of the year. It is also covered by a 4-year maintenance plan taking care of insurance, regular inspections and any spare parts or work needed to keep it up and running. It even supplies a replacement unit if is is out of service for 3 consecutive days.

Kelly who will be monitoring the equipment and feeding the results into an online database said: “Over a year ago my dad was suddenly diagnosed with a life-threatening heart complaint and it came home to me how important it was to have this sort of equipment available in an emergency. The Eight Bells is at the heart of the village and it seemed exactly the right location.
“Our customers were fantastic, they really rallied round and our bingo and quiz nights were sell-outs.

“We all hope it is never needed, but it is reassuring it is there in an emergency. It has video guidance so even a child can use it to save a life. There will be a free awareness session held in the pub shortly which will give guidance on when and how to use it, we hope everybody will come along.

pic : Kelly Early joint owner of the Eight Bells and barman Nick Griffin