Community volunteers have been urged to come forward to help to support an emergency response scheme in rural areas.

West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin brought representatives from the local community together with HeartStart Malvern and the West Midlands Ambulance Service to agree a plan to boost the number of people offering first response in time of medical emergency.

The MP has been an active supporter of the Malvern HeartStart initiative which is helping to source defibrillators for the town and offering emergency cardiac response training.

People living in rural areas around Eldersfield, in the Longdon dstrict of Malvern expressed concern that many people live too far from a community defibrillator to allow lifesaving treatment.

Malvern Hills District Councillor Jennie Watkins worked with Dame Harriett to bring local people together with Heart Start Malvern and the Ambulance Trust to identify a plan to improve support in rural areas.

West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Cliff Medlicott donated a defibrillator to Eldersfield Parish Council to help improve local coverage and he pledged to work with local councillors to boost the involvement of volunteers and set up a community action scheme across rural Worcestershire and bordering villages in Gloucestershire.

Dame Harriett said:

“I was contacted by Councillor Jennie Watkins, on behalf of a number of rural parish councils who shared local concerns about the sparse coverage of defibrillators and a lapsed network to offer emergency support.

“I am grateful that Eldersfield Parish Council raised this matter with me and will support Jennie as she works with other local parishes to extend this initiative.

“I hope that as we spread the word, local people will want to get involved, get trained and be ready to offer help when it is needed most.”

Councillor Jennie Watkins added:

“I am grateful for Dame Harriett Baldwin’s support to raise awareness of the importance of quick access to defibrillators for people living in rural areas.

“We now have the opportunity to work closely with partners to improve on coverage and create community solutions. We hope to set up a scheme across our six parishes and I will be lobbying Malvern Hills District Council to help fund and support an expansion across the district to ensure all residents can get access to a defibrillator if needed".

Photo: (l-r) Dame Harriett Baldwin MP, Councillor Jennie Watkins and Eldersfield Parish Council chair Carole Joseph take possession of a new defibrillator for the village outside the Butchers Arms pub in Eldersfield.