One evening in March, my 2 year old daughter had a seizure. My wife called 999, but we knew it would be a while before an ambulance arrived at our rural location. However, within minutes, a Community First Responder knocked at the door and we were able to start treating her.  

  Having a volunteer fast response team in Stanford could have meant the difference between life and death for me.  

These are statements made by just two of the 30 or so people who have been helped by Stanford's Community First Responder (CFR) team in 2009.

The Ambulance Service despatches the team when someone has a life-threatening illness. The team has two fully equipped kits that cost £1,500 each and is hoping to provide a near 24/7 service for Stanford and the surrounding villages. The kits are supplied by the League of Friends (LoF), which is a charity. We would like to raise £3,000 to give back to the LoF so that it can buy more kits for CFRs in other communities. Already, we have raised over £1,700 through the kind generosity of the Public Purposes Charity, the Parish Council and individuals.

Ian Jones (left), Community Responder Liaison and Training Officer South Central Ambulance Service, with Stanford in the Vale Community First Responder volunteers (l to r) Les Harding, Michele Avenell and James Brooks.

If you would like more details about Community First Responders or would like to make a donation to support the work of the team, please contact the South Central Ambulance Service Community Responder Liaison Officer, Ian Jones, on 07791 561998 or ian.jones@scas.nhs.uk