BNL donate defibrillators to the Andrew Kemp Memorial Community Defibrillator Fund

Earlier this year we upgraded our defibrillators. The question was asked: What do you do with the old, perfectly good defibrillators?

You donate them to the Andrew Kemp Memorial Community Defibrillator Fund.

Mrs. Debbie Kemp founded the Andrew Kemp Memorial Community Defibrillator Fund, in a bid to save the lives of others. In October 2020, her husband, Andrew, collapsed of cardiac arrest in the Corn Exchange in Leeds. When Debbie called 999, the operator could not find a nearby defibrillator – in fact there was only one in Leeds City Centre at the time. Andrew passed away, aged just 60 years old.

She is now honouring his memory by raising money to install defibrillators in areas across West Yorkshire, increasing lifesaving coverage for those communities.

A defibrillator is used to give a high energy shock to the heart of a person in cardiac arrest. This shock, defibrillation, is an essential part of restarting the heart and means the person has a 70% better chance of surviving a cardiac event.

Starting by raising funds selling hampers, preserves and crafts and local fairs, Debbie and friends soon raised enough for their first defibrillator – and the first place to benefit from the charity was the Corn Exchange. Since then, and after opening the café in 2022, they have funded the purchase, installation and upkeep of over 23 defibrillators, and know that at least one of these has gone on to save lives.

Debbie collected our two defibrillators last month. They are already up and running – one at a community centre in Armley, and one at the Hawksworth Older People’s Support (HOPS) neighbourhood network scheme in Leeds. We hope they are never needed; but we are so pleased to have had the opportunity to be even slightly involved in the provision of life-saving support in these communities.

Please remember the charity if you have any defibrillators that could be reused or refurbished. They also raise funds through a cafe  – which is reopening on 14th April 2024 at the picturesque Lancasterian Schools Room Community Centre, Moor Top near Farnley, Leeds . Run by volunteers, all the proceeds go to the charity. The cafe serves everything from full English breakfasts to toasties and hot drinks, with a selection of preserves, cakes, second hand books and crafts to browse and buy, running on Sundays, 10am-2pm, throughout summer:

Mrs. Kemp’s Café: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084826594685

Lancasterian School Room, Moor Top: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081984228715