Three new defibrillators will be made available to the local community in Chapeltown near Leeds city centre by Unity Enterprise with support from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The devices, which are fully automated and provide simple voice prompts on how to use in the event of cardiac arrest, will be mounted on an external wall at each of the three business centres operated by Unity Enterprise – the not for profit subsidiary company of BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise - so they are accessible to the public 24 hours per day.
The defibrillator to be located at the recently refurbished Leeds Media Centre has been fully resourced by the DHSC’s £1 million Community Automated External Defibrillators Fund, created to increase the number of defibrillators in public places where they are most needed and to help save lives.
The devices at Unity Business Centre and Chapeltown Enterprise Centre have been jointly funded by the DHSC and Unity Enterprise.
Collectively, the three centres provide more than 140 affordable units for over 80 diverse businesses which employ in excess of 900 people.
Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive Cedric Boston (left) and Unity Enterprise manager Adrian Green with the defibrillator to be installed at Leeds Media Centre
Adrian Green, Unity Enterprise manager, said: “We were thrilled that our funding applications were successful and thank the DHSC for its support.
“The fully automated nature of these defibrillators means that there are no official training requirements, which will provide confidence to users should that need arise.”
Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive, said: “As a community-based organisation, we are always keen to explore every avenue open to us to support local people in the Chapeltown area where we were founded and continue to be based.
“These devices should be invaluable in the unfortunate situation of someone going into cardiac arrest and we will do all we can to ensure surrounding neighbourhoods are aware of their presence.”
Sharon Jandu OBE, Unity Enterprise chair, said: “Chapeltown was my home for eight years and I still have family and many friends living there.
“As well as supporting local businesses, we exist to protect the wellbeing of local people.
“The new defibrillators are potential lifesavers, and we are proud to be playing our part in providing them.”
All three devices will be installed and ready for use early in the New Year.