A Gorey hotel has raised money to install a defibrillator on its premises after a medical emergency on Christmas Eve prompted staff to discover that the life-saving equipment was not available nearby.
The Moorings Hotel owners, Iselin and Matthew Jones, have thanked islanders for the “incredible response” after their fundraising page received the £2,250 needed for the equipment in less than two hours.
The couple are now hoping to use the excess money to purchase another two defibrillators to install in the nearby area.
They said that one will be placed in The Moorings underpass, one on the Long Beach slipway by Rhona’s beach café, and one by Mont Orgueil Castle to provide easy access to the whole community.
The fundraising page explained that the nearest defibrillators were currently at St Catherine, St Martin’s Public Hall and the Grouville Co-op, which “quite simply is too far, when the seconds count”.
The fundraising campaign came after a medical emergency at the hotel on Christmas Eve when an ambulance had to be called to the hotel for one of its residents.
Fearing that he was going into cardiac arrest, the hotel staff rushed to where they thought the nearest defibrillator was and found it wasn’t available.
Mrs Jones said that the incident “really gave us the shock that we needed to take action”, adding that the key is having the equipment in “more locations” to keep islanders safe.
The fundraiser has now reached £3,000.
“We’ve always said since taking on The Moorings that it’s such a neighbourhood and we’re part of a really incredible community,” said Mrs Jones.
“This really shows that the community spirit burns strong.”
DONATE…
You can donate to The Moorings Hotel fundraising page here.