Winton student & Andover companies raise defibrillator funds

Ryan Chapman is looking to raise the funds after becoming inspired by lessons in first aid he had during lockdown. He is planning on holding a raffle and undertaking other challenges to raise the money for the lifesaving device.

Ryan said: “A defibrillator would not only be beneficial to the school but also the local community and can save lives.”

Defibrillators are devices which provide a high energy electric shock to someone suffering from a cardiac arrest, where the heart stops pumping blood around the body. For each minute someone having a cardiac arrest is not defibrillated, their chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent.

Ryan was inspired to take on his fundraising challenge after learning about the devices at school, as mum Lilly explains.

“My son was in lockdown and Winton were teaching first aid,” she said. “From that he learnt that he wanted to help the community more and there weren’t many defibrillators around, as well as the impact they can have on saving people’s lives.

“By Winton, they don’t have any defibrillators except at the fire station, so he wanted to get one in the local area.”

Ryan said the lessons “inspired” him to help the community, so he began writing letters and visiting Andover businesses to gather support. Lilly said that she was ‘shocked’ by the response they received.

“The response has been really good,” she said. “Test Valley Models gave him £50, and a model, which was quite a shock. We’ve got a hamper from Tesco, Canto Gelato are giving him vouchers, and other businesses have given things like a bungee jump and a Kindle Fire. Plenty of people want to chip in.”

Ryan is hoping to hold his raffle in the summer, and will see how much money it raises. If it doesn’t get to the target, he has other ideas planned, like a sponsored swim, to the get his fundraiser over the line.

Anyone wanting to donate to Ryan’s fundraiser or contribute a raffle prize should contact: lspencer@wintoncommunityacademy.org