Volunteers at Newquay Orchard are hosting a week of fundraising activities to secure a defibrillator for the community greenspace from Monday 13 June until Friday 17 June.
An Imagine Outdoors teddy bears picnic for youngsters, an afternoon tea for older grown-ups in conjunction with Diabetes UK and a pizza and music evening with Canteen at the Orchard are all in the line-up of week-long activities.
Jack Greaves, a delivery officer at Newquay Orchard, is leading the fundraising and highlighting the importance of defibrillators and first aid in the community. He said: “Volunteers are very supportive of the idea to have a defibrillator onsite. They have taken part in first aid training here and value learning these potentially life-saving skills that in the future could help them and their loved ones.”
A defibrillator, or defib, is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. They can dramatically increase the rate of survival however it helps if one is located close to the person experiencing a cardiac arrest. If the community organization can raise enough money to secure the defibrillator it will be installed on the outside of the Kowel Gwenen community building.
So far fundraising efforts have been successful after the team were awarded a £500 donation from Towan Blytra Lions towards the cause. They are a quarter of the way to achieving their fundraising goal.
They hope the week of events will attract lots of different people as anyone can suffer from a cardiac arrest and so this machine will benefit all members of the Newquay Orchard community.
Below is the line-up of events with tickets for select events being released soon:
Monday 13 June
Volunteer walking group. Sponsor the Newquay Orchard volunteers are they walk along Newquay’s coastline highlighting the importance of spending time outdoors and access to defibrillators.
Tuesday 14 June
Teddies bear picnic with Imagine Outdoors. Join the Imagine Outdoors gang for a teddy bear picnic in the Orchard. Bring your teddy bear friend and meet some new ones too.
Wednesday 15 June
Wildflower posies sale in Canteen at the Orchard. Flower bunches will be available to purchase for the afternoon whilst you’re grabbing your coffee and cinnamon bun.
Thursday 16 June
Sarah Murphey Alchemilla Apothecary medicine foraging walk. Explore the Orchard with Sarah Murphey and learn about the medicinal properties of plants growing in our hedgerows and woodlands across Cornwall.
Afternoon tea with Diabetes UK. Join the Newquay Orchard volunteers for an afternoon tea and a walk around the orchard with the chance to ask questions about the plants growing in our urban greenspace.
Friday 17 June
Music evening at Canteen at the Orchard. Grab a drink and a pizza and settle in for some tunes with the opportunity to donate to our defibrillator fundraising throughout the evening.
Newquay Orchard would like to say thank you to all of the organisations and groups who have generously donated their time and money to this cause so far.