New life-saving defibrillator installed at popular pub in Chadderton

A vital new community defibrillator has been unveiled at the Rifle Range Pub in Chadderton, marking another major step forward in making life-saving equipment more accessible across the borough.

Thanks to the generosity of JW Lees Brewery and the Rifle Range team, the defibrillator has been installed in a prominent location at the front of the pub, serving as a glowing beacon of hope for thousands of residents in the area.

The device was fully funded by Ashleigh Pilkington-Leach, a Trustee of Defibrillators Save Lives, who took on the Manchester Half Marathon in October 2024 to raise the necessary funds.

Ashleigh’s motivation was deeply personal.

She told us: "A defibrillator saved my dad’s life, so if I can give that opportunity to someone else, that would be amazing."

This defibrillator, like all those cared for by Defibrillators Save Lives, is registered on The Circuit, the British Heart Foundation's national defibrillator network.

This means that in the event of a cardiac arrest or an unconscious person within 500m, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) can direct bystanders to the defibrillator, giving people in the community a fighting chance of survival.

Improving cardiac arrest survival rates

Statistics show that less than 10% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK involve a defibrillator before an ambulance arrives.

Defibrillators Save Lives is working hard to change that statistic, one installation at a time.

Scott Woodhead, Chairman and Trustee of Defibrillators Save Lives, highlighted the importance of early defibrillation.

He said: "This is the third part of what is known as the Chain of Survival - first, recognise someone is in trouble, then get help, start the all important CPR and finally, apply early defibrillation.

"Every second counts in a cardiac arrest, and the more defibrillators we place in our communities, the more lives we can potentially save."

A lifeline for the community

The new defibrillator has already been met with strong local support.

Patrick Mellor, a pub regular and local resident, expressed his pride in having such an important piece of equipment available in the community.

He said: "It’s fantastic to have a community defibrillator at the Rifle Range Inn.

"It brings great peace of mind knowing that such a valuable device is available for all residents in the area.

"These devices are lifesaving, and the pub is proud to support this initiative so that even more communities can benefit."

The Rifle Range will be hosting a defibrillator familiarisation session, totally free of charge, allowing all the local residents to get hands-on and understand how this life-saving equipment works.

This is a great chance to get rid of those myths that everyone hears.

This is all run by Jane, Heart Hero and Trustee of Defibrillators Save Lives also owning Jane Rawlings Trianing Consultancy.

More defibrillators, more lives saved

Defibrillators Save Lives is committed to expanding defibrillator access and ensuring more people are trained in CPR.

The charity continues to campaign for more public-access defibrillators while also running hands-on CPR training sessions to empower communities with the skills needed to respond in an emergency.

"We will continue to do what we do - fighting for more defibrillators, training more people in CPR, and ensuring more lives can be saved," Scott added.

This latest installation is another step forward in the mission to create a safer, heart-protected Oldham, and Defibrillators Save Lives will not stop until every community has the tools to save a life.

For more information about Defibrillators Save Lives, check out their Facebook page here, or you can donate via the link here

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