Shipston First Responders announced as 2019/20 Mayoral charity

Mayor, Dan Scobie, announced that his charity for the year will be Shipston First Responders (SFR).

SFR help West Midlands Ambulance Service get trained, experienced care to a patient very rapidly. SFR volunteers are based in and around the town and can usually respond to an emergency call within 5 minutes which can be vital considering the town’s rural location.

SFR, Tony Booth (pictured) explained that the team is often first on the scene, and has saved lives in cardiac arrest situations. The team aims to provide a service 24 hours, 7 days a week and is always looking for more volunteers.

SFR is funded entirely from donations and grants. All of the people delivering this vital service are volunteers, helping others in their own time, and at their own cost.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “I was surprised to discover that SFR volunteers have to pay for everything out of money they raise or their own pocket. This includes their uniforms, their first aid supplies, and their heart defibrillators. If they use any equipment on a patient, they have to replace it at their own expense. This year the Town Council will be helping to raise funds to allow SFR to focus on delivering the care they do so well, and have to spend less time thinking about the money.”