Three new defibrillator machines have been fitted in Catrine, with two more set to follow suit.
Down to the fundraising efforts of Catrine Games Hall Trustee, Jack Gillies, the villages will soon have five fully functioning life-saving machines.
Jack completed the famous Glasgow Kiltwalk back in April, on behalf of Catrine Games Hall Trust, and thanks to the great support of the local people, and the support from the Hunter Foundation, he was able to raise enough funds to get all five machines he was hoping for.
Machines have already been installed at Catrine Games Hall, the Catrine Amateurs clubhouse and now Catrine Bowling club, with two further machines to follow on St Germain Street and the Lodge St John social club.
Not willing to take all the credit, Jack is delighted at the progress for the village.
He told the Chronicle: “It’ll be brilliant for people to know that there are these five machines that will soon be fully functioning.
“At the very start, the trust wanted to aim for maybe one or two machines. But when we saw the money going up and knowing we would be able to get three machines, and then four and then five, it was unbelievable.”
Jack hopes the machines at St John’s lodge and Catrine Bowling Club can be sorted over the next week, with planning permission needing to be sought to sort the one on St Germain Street.
Despite a potential hold-up on the final machine, Jack has planned to leave the machine at the Brewery Inn pub for the time being, so it can still be used on occasions if needed.
He added: “I thought this would be a better idea than it sitting in my back room doing nothing until it can get sorted properly.
“At the moment the ones that have been fitted are ready to use, I just need to get them all officially registered and get a power supply to them before the weather gets too bad. They need a power supply to keep them heated, because if their temperature falls below a certain level then it can damage their insides, but hopefully I’ve got at least a few weeks before that starts.
“I’m just delighted with the outcome and the support from everyone, because these genuinely are priceless machines that could save somebody’s life”.
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