Friday 16th September 2016 – 11.15am – Claire Brown.
A church at the heart of helping people in Dudley is the latest community location to house a defibrillator.
Dudley Community Church on Salop Street is not only a place of worship but it’s also home to a range of support services for the local community. As well as hot meals for the homeless at Heaven’s Kitchen, Dudley Counselling Centre which is on the same site provides play therapy for children as well as advice on housing, addiction support and other counselling services.
Last month, West Midlands Ambulance Service donated a defibrillator to the church and provided first aid training to staff based there. The defibrillator, a device used to help restart the heart of someone in cardiac arrest, is now on hand at the church to help anyone in the community.
Andy Jeynes, the Trust’s Community Response Manager, provided first aid and defibrillator training to staff at the church and counselling centre on the 4th August. Andy said: “With so many people visiting the church and counselling centre each day it’s an ideal place for a defibrillator to be.”
Jeanette Jones from Heaven’s Kitchen, said: “As project manager with my husband, Malcolm, we have managed the project for almost nine years and have seen a tremendous increase in people who are in need during this time. As a community Church we are now able to offer life-saving equipment thanks to the NHS.”
During the defibrillator training, Andy was joined by paramedic Emma Bogle. Emma, who works closely with alternative care pathways in the Black Country, has now signed up to take part in the Great Birmingham Run in October to raise money for the church. Emma said: “I am hoping to raise over £1000 to help them re-build part of their unit and carry on the fantastic work they do for the community. If you’d like to sponsor me, please visit https://my.give.net/keep_on_running_emma1.”
ENDS
Pictured (left to right): Emma Bogle, Jeanette Jones, Andy Jeynes and Malcolm Jones.