New community defibrillator paid for by toast
A new community defibrillator was unveiled at a local primary school on Wednesday, and it was partially funded by selling toast.
Installing a publicly accessible defibrillator has been the plan of the pupil council at Aqueduct Primary School near Telford since the autumn of 2019, and on Wednesday at became a reality.
The school's business manager, Teresa Smith, said: "We really wanted ours to be available to the whole community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"In autumn of 2019 the kids decided that was what they wanted to do, and it's been a long term plan since then.
"The kids started selling hot-buttered toast at break times and they raised about £400 just by doing that," Teresa said.
The toast got the plan off to a good start, but there was still some way to go as the life-saving device was set to be installed outside, and for that it needs its own dedicated power supply.
The pupils also approached local businesses for support, and had various donations from supporters.
"We had one guy who saw what we were trying to do, and he sent us a £20 note in the post," Teresa explained.
"One of our pupils' grandfathers passed away, and their grandmother decided that any donations for the cost of flowers at the funeral should be donated to the defibrillator campaign instead. That was another £400.
"All these threads have just woven together, and it is so nice to get in finally installed."
The community defibrillator is situated by the school's main gate on Eleanor's Close in Aquaduct.
