Claire Brown – Wednesday 19th March 2025 – 12.30pm.
A man who suffered a cardiac arrest whilst playing bowls in December last year has donated money to the volunteer Community First Responders who were first on scene.
John Preece, 81 from Claverley in Shropshire, collapsed after finishing a game of indoor bowls in Alveley Village Hall on 18th December 2024. Thanks to friends and members at the village hall who had recently completed CPR training held by Alveley First Responders, CPR was promptly started on Mr Preece and 999 was called.
Alveley First Responders Mike Nixon and Martin Hill were first on scene followed by two crews and a critical care car from the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. The team managed to restart Mr Preece’s heart at the scene, and he was taken to hospital for further emergency care. John spent a month in New Cross Hospital and was fitted with an internal defibrillator before being discharged home.
The CFR group recently received a thank you letter from Mr Preece and a donation to the scheme. Talking about that day, Mr Preece, said: “The phrase ‘having ones ducks in a row’ couldn’t have been more accurate than on that day. Had I been anywhere else, I am sure I would not have survived so I owe the CFRs and the Air Ambulance Doctor my life, for which I am most grateful. Apparently, and thanks to you good people, I have only lost 5% of my heart function. In thanks to you I am making a donation to the First Responders. Again, many many thanks.”
Mike, who has been a CFR for 10 years, said: “I am so happy to hear John had a positive outcome and just shows the importance of early CPR and the excellent work CFRs do in their local community supporting WMAS. We had recently held a free CPR and defib awareness course a few months earlier to John’s cardiac arrest which the people with him had undertaken so had the knowledge to start CPR and get one of the three CPAD’s we have in the village. We have since done more CPR training in February this year with the bowls club at which John came along and was guest of honour. Whilst we absolutely don’t volunteer for the money, it’s an enormously generous donation which will go directly back into the community that we serve. The money has been spent on installing decals and signage on our new scheme vehicle.”
ENDS