Chanonry Sailing Club reaches halfway mark in fundraising effort pulling in more than £850 to install a new public access defibrillator at Fortrose Harbour
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A Ross-shire sailing club has reached the halfway mark in a fundraising effort that could save lives.
Members of Chanonry Sailing Club are hoping to install a new public access defibrillator at Fortrose Harbour.
The club, which is working with the charity Lucky2BHere, recently received more than £850 in donations – the total fundraising target is £1700 which will cover the cost of the defibrillator and community training, with the club picking up the installation and ongoing maintenance costs.
The fundraising milestone was reached at the sailing club’s fun day where the local community was welcomed down to the harbour area for sailing taster sessions, stand-up paddleboard lessons, wild swimming, coastal rowing and high-speed rides in the club’s two rigid inflatable boats (RIB).
Sandra Hogg, the club's commodore, said: "To help someone who is in cardiac arrest effectively, a defibrillator needs to be found as quickly as possible.
"For every extra minute it takes for the defibrillator to reach a casualty and deliver a shock, their chances of survival reduce.
"The harbour is a busy area, used by the whole community as well as visitors to the area, and I am sure that provision of this new, potentially life-saving equipment will be welcomed by the whole community."
The defibrillator will be mounted externally and be available 24 hours a day and accessible to the whole community should an emergency situation arise.
Fundraising efforts are continuing and the club aims to have the defibrillator installed in the coming months.
The club also experimented for the first time with the use of QR codes to make it easier to donate. Anyone passing the Harbour can make a donation with their phone, using a QR code which is displayed in the window of the Sailing Club. Donations can also be taken online via the club website.
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