A NEW life saving defibrillator has been installed next to the entrance to Men in Sheds after a fundraising effort.

Gus Glynn, organised the drive to raise the money and with the help of the other businesses in Hartford Business park, the funds were raised in three months.

Gus, project co-ordinator for Men in Sheds Hartford, said: “I started the drive because I thought it would be a great idea to have a defibrillator in the business park.

“The businesses donated £110 each and we raised enough money quite quickly.

“It took about three months to get the money we needed because I had to make sure everyone knew about what we were planning to do.”

The defibrillator was bought with the help of Brightlife, Age UK Cheshire, Discovery Events, Arcadia Rug Spa, Wholesale Health, F Jahn and Co, Gifts ‘n’ Party, Weaver Dane and Home Instead.

“I didn’t really think that we could raise the money as quickly as we did and everyone is really excited about it.

“Every business has someone for first aid and I am a first aider myself so we have all been going through the manual since it was installed.

“The defibrillator is located at the entrance to Men in Sheds and there is plaque next to it acknowledging the businesses that helped us get this set up.

The Men in Sheds project was officially opened in Hartford by Age UK Cheshire on January,30 2009 and soon expanded to Crewe, Chester and Ellesmere Port, with a fifth shed due to open in Winsford this Spring.

The shed received funding from the National Lottery and now provides workshop facilities for men over the age of 55 across four sheds in Cheshire - Chester, Northwich, Crewe and Ellesmere Port.

For more information visit the website ageuk.org.uk/cheshire/activities-and-events/men-in-sheds/