HILMARTON NEIGHBOURHOOD FIRST RESPONDER SCHEME - UPDATE on Wednesday 21st February 2007

Scheme Overview

• Scheme went live just over 18 months ago (on 12th August 2005)
• –9 active Neighbourhood First Responders (5 in Hilmarton, 2 in Goatacre and 2 in Lyneham)
• Co-ordinator, secretary, treasurer, fundraising co-ordinator
• •Meet every month in the function room at The Duke. Anyone welcome
• •Called out 44 times since going live
• •Average arrival to casualty 10 minutes before ambulance
• •Provided 83% cover last month (January 06)
• •Averaged 83% cover since going live
• •Raised £6,608.51 in first six months since going live
• •Challenges – finding house names. Not on standard maps. Have produced our own comprehensive local maps down to house name level
• •Scheme website updated monthly (www.hnfr.org.uk)
• •Article published every month in Parish Newsletter

*** Due to the success of the Hilmarton Scheme, we are looking for volunteers for the Lyneham Sector of the Scheme which went live at mid-day on Tuesday 31st October 2006***

We would be pleased to hear from others in the community who may wish to become Neighbourhood First Responders for the Scheme. No previous medical or first aid experience or knowledge is required, as full training is provided free of charge by St. John Ambulance and the Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The ultimate aim of the Scheme is to provide cover 24 hours a day, every day, however this will only be possible if we can recruit additional volunteers to cover weekdays and weekends.  

We are extremely grateful to those individuals and families within the community who have so generously made personal donations to the Scheme.

If you would like to find out more about the Hilmarton Neighbourhood First Responder Scheme or become a Neighbourhood First Responder then please call Simon Barnfather on (01249) 760 179 or 07970 702 333.