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A charity’s work to create a network of life-saving defibrillators across Hartlepool has received a big boost.

Hartlepool Borough Council is providing £10,000 to the DS43 Community Defibrillators group to install 12 of the machines in parts of the town that do not currently have access to a public defibrillator.

The charity was set up by Pam and Bill Shurmer, along with North East Ambulance Service community first responder David Cairns, in memory of their 43-year-old son, Danny Shurmer, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest at home in 2021.

Since then they have raised thousands to install and maintain 35 community defibrillators across the town including at a number of shops and pubs.

Left right: Bill Shurmer, Councillor Shane Moore and Pam Shurmer with an existing community defibrillator in Merlin Way, Hartlepool.

They have also started to deliver free CPR and defibrillator awareness sessions around the town.

The money from the council will enable the group to install them in areas where there are no commercial premises. The council is also covering the cost of the electricity.

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Councillor Shane Moore, council leader and chair of the council’s finance and policy Committee, said: “Danny’s death was an absolute tragedy, and I want to pay tribute to how Pam and Bill – with the outstanding support of the group’s other trustees – have devoted themselves in very difficult circumstances to thinking of others and creating a network of life-saving community defibrillators.

Keen cricketer Danny Shurmer was 43 when he died after a cardiac arrest.

“What they have achieved to date is amazing and the council is pleased to be able to help them further extend their network.”

The intended locations for the new defibrillators are Parklands Way, Woodstock Way, Station Lane, Barford Close, Kingsley Avenue, the top end of King Oswy Drive, King Oswy Drive at the junction with West View Road, Bluebell Way, Jesmond Road, Elwick Road/Cairnston Road, Wynyard Road/Owton Manor Lane and the top of Marlowe Road.

DS43 group chari Pam said: “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with the council and the funding it is providing will take us closer to our target of everyone living in Hartlepool being within 350 metres where possible of a community-accessible defibrillator.

“The council’s support is important because it will enable us install defibrillators in areas where we would not otherwise have been able to.”

Donations to support DS43 Community Defibrillators can be made through its NatWest Bank account – sort code 54-21-54, account number 35304642.

Hartlepool Borough Council boosts charity created by parents after son's death with £10,000 donation