Dorset ambulance volunteers' bid for emergency lifting chairs

Community First Responders have applied to the Aviva Community Fund for up to £25,000 to equip themselves with Raizer emergency lifting chairs.

Zoe Larter, South Western Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust’s Head of Charity, said: “Equipping a Community First Responder with an emergency lifting chair will enable early assistance to a patient who has experienced a non-injury fall.

“If we are successful, we could purchase six chairs for our groups across the South West.

“Falls are a leading cause of emergency calls in the over 65’s and account for 10% -25% of emergency ambulance responses each year for adults aged over 65 years. One in three people aged over 65 and up to one in two aged over 80 will fall at least once every year.

“We need to get enough votes to get us to the finals and to do this we need you to register, vote, share and encourage as many friends, family and community supporters as possible to do the same.”

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is supported by over 800 Community First Responders.

These volunteer heroes attend over 40,000 incidents each year, helping to save lives, reduce pain and provide reassurance to those requiring emergency care.

According to the South Western Ambulance Charity it is estimated that there will be over 3.2 million falls in people over the age of 65 in England by 2025.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “The impact of a fall on the individual and their family is not to be underestimated, with falls often leading to a fear of falling and potentially having psychological as well as physical effects.”

The Aviva Community Fund offers the chance for local communities to get much-needed funding for vital local projects. There is a chance for around 500 projects from across the UK to get funding for their community project.

So far, the project has over 1,000 votes but voting ends on November 20 so to have your say visit the Aviva Community Fund website.