Sian Lloyd
Why every tea party you hold this Spring could help save many lives throughout Wales.
BBC Welsh correspondent and presenter Sian Lloyd is helping spearhead an all-Wales tea party campaign to save lives in Wales in collaboration with the Welsh Hearts Charity.
Sian said ‘The one thing we love in Wales is our tea so why not be a part of Wales’ Biggest Tea Party and help Welsh Hearts raise much needed funds to place community defibrillators and hold heart screening sessions throughout Wales!’
The charity is inviting everyone to invite friends and colleagues together in the workplace, school or community to hold their own tea party, bake sale or coffee morning. A fundraising pack has also been prepared to support interested individuals and groups to make the most of their community based event.
Every penny raised will stay in Wales, and will directly benefit local communities. To download a free fundraising pack visit http://welshhearts.org/teaparty.
Sian is encouraging everyone in Wales to also hold a tea party this spring for the charity Welsh Hearts! She will also be asking her colleagues in the BBC Wales newsroom to raise a mug or two for this great Welsh cause!
In the past 4 years, Welsh Hearts has placed over 900 defibrillators and trained of 38,000 in CPR. Sharon Owen, the charity director said: “As we celebrate our 5th birthday as a charity, we are honoured to be involved in such an important initiative. I believe the impact on lives will be far-reaching, as no one should die in Wales due to a lack of a public access defibrillator in the event of an emergency. They should be available everywhere. I am excited to work with local pharmacies because they serve as a hub for most communities, so it would be great to see more support for this campaign.”
Dr. Hasmukhlal Shah said: “As a trustee of Welsh Hearts, I am delighted to see the impact of the work the charity is doing. With over 6000 people a year in Wales dying from an undiagnosed heart condition, public access defibrillators in our local pharmacies can be a real life saver.”
Taking immediate action in the event of an emergency can make a big difference. For far too many communities, the information on their nearest defibrillator is not readily available. If the public is educated on the location of their nearest defibrillator such as the nearest pharmacy, there is great potential to act quickly and also save more lives.
Local community members can get involved in the campaign for their Public Access Defibrillator by visiting www.welshhearts.org/donate for more options.
