Community spirit is helping make residents in an area of Wellington safer, writes Phil Hill.
People living in Tonedale were concerned about the lack of potentially life-saving defibrillators near their homes.
A group of locals led by Valerie May took action by fundraising to buy a device for their neighbourhood.
They raised an impressive £1,000 to start with.
To help get the project over the finish line, the Wellington Hospital League of Friends agreed to make up the remaining cost.
That ensured the defibrillator could be bought and installed without delay through the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) Life Support initiative.
Tonedale One Stop also played a vital role by organising and paying for the installation of the defibrillator on the outside wall of the shop, where it is easily accessible.
Ms May said: “I am extremely grateful to the league for their support.
"Don't you just love it when people in the community come together to get things done?
"This is exactly what has happened at Tonedale.”
A spokesperson for DSAA said the charity has partnered with The Heartbeat Trust UK to run an automated external defibrillator package for businesses, community groups and organisations.
The initiative includes access to DSAA sessions on life support CPR and defib awareness; support with ongoing maintenance; and help with fundraising.
The spokesperson added: “The collaboration means it's easy for you to place a defibrillator on the exterior of your workplace or community building, so if someone suffers a cardiac arrest at your workplace or in your surrounding community, your defibrillator could help to save their life.”
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