Freemasons present emergency health care equipment to Kington first responders

Herefordshire Freemasons are supporting community first responders across the county by donating bleed kits and other equipment.

The Kington Arrow Lodge has specifically donated a new portable suction kit to help clear a patient’s airway in an emergency situation and they have benefitted from bleed kits too.

In a serious bleeding emergency, the first few minutes are critical. These kits give communities the tools to act fast and potentially save a life before emergency services arrive.

They will be placed with the existing defibrillator sites across Kington and the surrounding villages.

Across Herefordshire, the freemasons have also sponsored two response cars in the County and are paying for Kington First Responders car insurance.

Worshipful Brother and charity steward at Arrow Lodge, Jez George said: “Herefordshire Freemasons have been engaging with the community and they came up with supporting the community first responders.

“In our particular areas we all contacted our first responders and asked them how we could help them.

“We have sponsored two cars for Herefordshire and 100 bleed kits and at Arrow Lodge we raised £1,200 and the Herefordshire Lodge agreed to match fund it so we ended up with £1,800. We donated the suction machine to Kington Community First Responders and we will pay for their response car insurance out of the rest.

“Every meeting we have an alms collections and members donate whatever they can afford and that goes into a relief chest held in London and they add 25 per cent on top. There is also a masonic charitable trust and we can tap into that resource as a lodge.”

Chrissie Johnston of Kington Community First Responders said: “Kington Community First Responders are incredibly grateful to the Herefordshire Freemasons of Arrow Lodge for the donation of a mechanical suction machine.

“This is a vital piece of equipment which will help clear patient’s airways in an emergency situation. “Their increased financial donation will also fund the vehicle insurance which enables us to attend emergencies in Kington and the surrounding communities.

“We will endeavour to place bleed kits alongside defibrillators in the surrounding villages. These are vital kits, especially in the rural / farming communities. We are overwhelmed by their generosity.”

Community First Responders are volunteers, that are trained by the ambulance service to respond to medical and trauma emergencies within the community, whilst the ambulance is on route.

Chrissie Johnston and Luke Thomas cover Kington and about 10 miles surrounding the town.

Herefordshire Freemasons’ Lodges have been supporting the Community First Responders at a local level for some time.

This year they are increasing that support to include local initiatives, as well as larger donations, to support the wider Herefordshire community.

So far this year, Herefordshire Freemasons have donated nearly £11,000 with more pledged.

Freemasonry is one of the oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations in the world.

Kington’s Arrow Lodge currently has about 40 members and they hold eight meetings a year.

They always welcome new members and for more information on the Freemasons and the joining process visit https://herefordshiremasons.org.uk