The Tommy Cooper Society has presented its tenth lifesaving defibrillator machine – used on patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest – to St Martin’s Church in Caerphilly town.
The society launched its ‘Tommy’s Ticker’ campaign to mark the 30th anniversary of the Caerphilly-born magician’s death.
Cooper died on stage at the age of 63, in front of millions of television viewers during Live From Her Majesty’s on April 15 1984.
Each defibrillator costs around £1,000, and the society has teamed up with charity Welsh Hearts to donate equipment to Caerphilly Library, Caerphilly Visitors’ Centre, Caerphilly Workmen’s Hall, Blackwood Miners’ Institute, Rudry Parish Hall, Bedwas Workmen’s Hall, Caerphilly Castle, Abertridwr YMCA, and Caerphilly’s Vanguard Centre.
The defibrillator was presented by the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Director of Operations Richard Lee, who also demonstrated how to use the equipment to parishioners at the church.
Tudor Jones, Chairman of the Tommy Cooper Society, said: “We were delighted that the parishioners all agreed to wear fezzes for the event and we presented everyone with our special defibrillator lapel badges.”
Well done ! – the more places that have defibrillators the better.
It will give a better chance of survival to those suffering a cardiac arrest.