Community organisations across Rossendale are celebrating the success of two recent fundraising events, which together raised nearly £1,000 in support of lifesaving community defibrillator provision across the Valley.
The fundraising initiative was a joint partnership between Community Defibs for Rossendale (CDfR) and 1969 (Rossendale) Air Cadets, with all proceeds being donated directly towards the work of CDfR. The initiative was also supported by sister organisation Rossendale Community First Responders, who continue to work closely alongside CDfR in supporting emergency care and community resilience within Rossendale.
One of the highlight events was a successful curry evening, kindly hosted by The Kashmir Rawtenstall, which brought together supporters from across the community for an enjoyable evening whilst raising vital funds for the cause.
Funds raised from the events will help support the ongoing placement, maintenance and accessibility of public access defibrillators within Rossendale, helping ensure communities across the Valley have access to potentially lifesaving equipment during cardiac emergencies.
Community Defibs for Rossendale works to improve public access to defibrillators across the Valley, whilst Rossendale Community First Responders provide rapid emergency medical response to local 999 incidents and deliver CPR and defibrillator awareness training within the community.
A spokesperson involved in the initiative said:
“The level of support from local residents, businesses and partner organisations has been absolutely fantastic. These events are about far more than fundraising — they help strengthen community resilience and support the availability of lifesaving equipment within Rossendale. We would particularly like to thank everybody at The Kashmir for their generosity and hospitality in hosting such a successful evening.”
Organisers have thanked everybody who attended, donated, volunteered or supported the events, saying the success demonstrated the strength of community spirit across Rossendale.
A second fundraising activity also took place through a community bag pack at Tesco Superstore, where volunteers from 1969 (Rossendale) Air Cadets and supporters from the organisations spent time assisting shoppers whilst raising additional funds for the initiative.
The bag pack not only helped generate valuable donations towards Community Defibs for Rossendale, but also provided an opportunity to engage directly with members of the public about the importance of publicly accessible defibrillators, CPR awareness and community emergency response within Rossendale. Organisers said the support and generosity shown by shoppers throughout the event was greatly appreciated and played a significant part in the overall fundraising success.
