Mall takes customer service to a new level

Gary Wilson, British Heart Foundation NI, and Karen Marshall, centre manager at Bow St Mall, pictured with staff members who have received training on using the mall's new defibrillator. US1529-528cd Picture: Cliff Donaldson

A defibrillator is a portable device that can be used by a member of the public to help restart the heart when someone has a cardiac arrest.

For every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR, chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent. Eleven staff members at Bow Street Mall are fully trained and know both of these vital steps to help someone in an emergency.

With approximately 1,400 cardiac arrests happening out of hospital in Northern Ireland every year, Bow Street Mall are delighted to have the simple-to-use defibrillator located and installed within the mall.

Karen Marshall, Bow Street Mall centre manager expressed her delight: “We have wanted a defibrillator on the mall for quite some time now but with Lisburn being Northern Ireland’s designated heart city we felt it was an opportune time to purchase the defibrillator.”

Karen added: “Defibrillators are invaluable in helping save lives of those who suffer cardiac arrest and as a key shopping destination in Lisburn, we wanted to ensure that we have the necessary equipment and staff trained in both the defibrillator and CPR to ensure that if an emergency does arise we are fully equipped to help the cardiac arrest victims chance of survival.”

With over 225,000 people living in Northern Ireland with heart and circulatory disease, Bow Street Mall understand that many local people need the help and support of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northern Ireland and in the upcoming months, BHF Northern Ireland will be undertaking a number of awareness raising initiatives on the importance of a healthy heart at Bow Street Mall.

Gary Wilson from the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland added “BHF Northern Ireland welcome Bow Street Mall’s ongoing commitment to looking after local hearts and are looking forward to working with Bow Street Mall in the months ahead.”

Heart Health information days and collections will be held during December - can you help out for an hour or two?

BHF Northern Ireland are also recruiting volunteers for a fundraising group in Lisburn and would love to hear from you if you would like to get involved and make new friends while raising funds for your local heart charity. Please contact Gary Wilson for further information – [email protected] or telephone 028 686 33113”