A COMMUNITY drive to fund new heart-starting equipment for England's largest lake has reached its £12,500 target, paving the way for a team of water-borne lifesavers to start training, reports Nadia Jefferson-Brown.

Shock Wave co-ordinators are celebrating the New Year after the British Heart Foundation awarded almost £3,000 to the appeal, which aims to buy four defibrillators to treat cardiac victims on Windermere or within 500-metres of its lakeshore within vital minutes of an attack.

The money is a welcome boost to the donations and pledges of cash already made since the appeal's launch in September. Once all the cash has been collected, it will also be used to purchase necessary items such as rucksacks to carry the equipment, training manuals and oxygen cylinders.

Co-ordinator Adrian Faulkner said it was "absolutely brilliant" Shock Wave had achieved so much so quickly.

"It has been a real community effort, and I am very pleased people have rallied around," he said, adding the new Community First Responders would bring peace of mind to many. "If it saves one life, it has been well worth the money."

The First Responders will be an eight-strong team, trained by Cumbria Ambulance Service, consisting of South Lakeland District Council lake wardens, national park lake rangers and Mr Faulkner, a voluntary warden with the lake patrol team.

Community first responder co-ordinator Elaine Alston said of the group: "They are a great team and I am sure they will go from strength to strength."

Mr Faulkner paid tribute to the "overwhelming support" of Bowness businesses, Windermere and Lakes parish councils, local charities such as the Lions and Rotary clubs, other groups and individuals including Steve Walsh and Helen Gent at The Mariners, Bowness, who staged various fund-raising events.

He also thanked The Westmorland Gazette for boosting Shock Wave's profile, prompting strangers to approach him with cheques for the cause.

"It has kept the appeal in people's minds," he said. "When I have been in The Mariners, people have handed me £10 donations. These have really made the difference."

January 3, 2003 09:30