Cloughmills: a safer village now

Northwest Community Ambulance Service members Bert Anderson and Denise Gourley photographed last week in Cloughmills Orange Hall where they showed community group members how to do CPR and use a defibrillator. Photography by Hugo McNiece, Digital Image Photography.

Groups and organisations met in Cloughmills last week for formal training from members of the Northwest Community Ambulance Service who demonstrated the techniques involved in CPR and the use of a defibrillator.

Bert Anderson and Denise Gourley were invited to the local Orange Hall by the Corner House Golfing Society who have played a major role in fund-raising for the vital pieces of medical equipment.

It is hoped to install the defibrillators outside the two local schools but those behind the project are awaiting clearance from the North Eastern Education and Library Board before they can act.

Bobby Gray, spokesperson for the Golfing Society, said they were delighted with the turn out last Thursday night.

“We had tremendous cross community support from hurlers, footballers, senior citizens groups, youth organisations and so on. We couldn’t have asked for more backing. It is our aim to put the defibrillators outside the schools but we’re just waiting for the go-ahead from the Education authorities,” he said.

Information leaflets will be distributed throughout the village making residents aware of the facility and how it will be operated.

“We want to make as many people aware of what we are proposing and how the defibrillators can help in an emergency,” Mr Gray said.

The equipment cost in excess of £5000 and was funded as a result of much hard work by the Golfing Society and others.

“The community and various groups have really got behind us on this one. They see it as something well worth doing and if it saves just one life, then it will be worthwhile,” Bobby told the Times.

He added: “We decided to put the defibrillators outside the schools so that the community would be served at both ends of the village.

“There is a defibrillator at the local doctors’ surgery but we feel that two more would give extra peace of mind and we also have to bear in mind that the surgery isn’t open all the time - back up is necessary.”