CARRIER bag charges at Central England Co-Operative have helped fund six new defibrillators across the borough.
Half of the defibrillators have been installed at food stores in Acocks Green, Longmore Road in Shirley and Lyndon Road in Solihull.
The further three are at funeral homes on Stratford Road in Shirley, Hobs Moat Road and Warwick Road in Solihull.
The defibrillators have been installed as part of the first stage of the company’s drive to get the equipment put in at nearly all of its trading outlets across 16 counties.
Hannah Gallimore, Corporate Responsibility Manager, said: “We are so pleased to have installed 90 lifesaving defibrillators at locations across our Society.
“We have been able to use the money generated from the carrier bag levy to put in place devices that could save lives right in the centre of our communities for their use.
“If the defibrillator is ever needed, anyone can call 999 and the emergency operator will pass on a code that will open the locked case that the equipment is stored in.
“The device will then talk the person through how to use it – it is easy to use and any member of the community would be able to do so if needed.”
Out of the 90 total installations, 55 were at retail sites, 32 at Funeral Homes, one at the Society’s coffin factory, one at a Crematorium and one at the Co-Op’s Business Support Centre.
The lifesaving devices have been installed across the Society’s trading area including 14 in Derbyshire, 17 in Birmingham, seven in East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire and 16 in Northamptonshire.
Martyn Cheatle, Central England Co-operative Chief Executive, said: “Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the UK’s biggest killers and, after listening to the concerns of customers, members and partners, we want to help tackle the issue by getting more life-saving equipment into communities where it can save lives.
“As a responsible business we place a huge focus on making a positive contribution to the communities in which we trade; we are delighted to be able to build on our existing work with this new project which we are funding from the carrier bag levy.”
Every installation has included familiarisation sessions at all locations where a defibrillator has been installed for staff, nearby business, local residents and community groups.
