Young fundraisers give life-saving equipment

A team of young people from Macclesfield have stepped up to the challenge of raising money to buy life-saving equipment for the community, as part of their Prince’s Trust Programme.

The team of six were on the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service led The Prince’s Trust programme and included: Cameron Wilson-Hough, Ryan Allen, Michael White, Ethan Morris, Sophie Lewis and Max Brown who all live in and around Macclesfield.

They completed 300,000 steps between them over five days, amongst other fundraising challenges, to raise £950 to help buy a much-needed defibrillator for St John’s Ambulance, which is based in Macclesfield.

Thanks to the team the mobile life-saving equipment will now be taken to all events attended by St John Ambulance volunteers, so it’s accessible to all should it be needed.

St John Ambulance Community Fundraising Manager Alan Nevin said: “Thank you for all you have done for the charity. Your fundraising will help to save lives around the Macclesfield area. You are all a great credit to The Prince’s Trust and to your local community.”

Delivered by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, The Prince’s Trust Team Programme is a free 12-week personal development course for 16 to 25-year-olds, with five locations across Cheshire running at least one team.

It is designed to give young people high quality training to develop their skills, self-confidence and motivation.  Team members have to plan, fundraise and execute a project, which will help their local community, to enable them to graduate from the programme.

Macclesfield Prince’s Trust Team 37 chose to help St John Ambulance in the town, due to the charity’s work in responding to emergencies, supporting local communities, saving lives and, in recent times, supporting the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Prince’s Trust Team Programme Coordinator is Jason McTigue. He said: “We couldn’t be more proud of this team and what they have achieved, to enable St John’s Ambulance to purchase this life-saving equipment. We have a defibrillator situated outside Macclesfield Fire Station, which is accessible via a code when someone dials 999, but this is a mobile device that can be taken out into the community, and used by St John’s Ambulance volunteers in an emergency, so it’s an essential piece of kit.”

Team member Cameron handed over the defibrillator to representatives of St John Ambulance at Macclesfield Fire Station.

More information about The Prince’s Trust Team Programme is on Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s website, www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/young-people/princes-trust.