Defibrillator donated to village Scout group

Helen Robinson, Group Scout Leader and Explorer Scout Leader at the Horbling-based troop said they were nominated by a parent of one of the Scouts who works for DiPERK Power Solutions, to be gifted a defibrillator.

The company, based in Bretton, Peterborough, is the sole distributor of Perkins engines in the UK and Ireland and part of the Finning Group who are a worldwide Caterpillar dealer.

Last year throughout all the business depots in the UK, DiPERK updated their defibrillators and when checking the old units, found that many had never been used and it was only the batteries and pads that were out of

date. They contacted the manufacturers and decided that it would be a good thing to replace the batteries and pads where required and offer them out to community groups via a ballot.

Dad Gavin Lester said: “I nominated Horbling and Billingborough Scout Group and I was fortunate to be picked in the ballot. The scout group has been such a large part of my son’s life I felt that it was a great opportunity to give something back.”

He told Helen: "I truly hope that you never have the need to use it, but it will give that extra protection when you are out and about with the great adventures that you arrange.”

Helen said: “It is of great reassurance to have this life saving piece of equipment in our building and the benefit of being able to give a much higher level of essential first aid should it be needed. The unit will also be mobile for

when scouting off site.”

She thanked Gavin on behalf of the Scout group, its young people, volunteers and executive members for nominating them and thanked DiPERK Power Solutions for the generous gift.