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A LIFE-SAVING group of volunteers is being given extra training to boost their capabilities to deal with emergencies in rural areas around Ashbourne.
Community First Responders (CFR) are trained by the ambulance service to provide fast treatment to people suffering from life-threatening injuries or illnesses in outlying communities.
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Spot the dummy in the WI tent at the Ashbourne Show last Saturday!! Pete Carolyn and Hugh helped out and the WI raised £242 for the Responders – Many Thanks!
Photo from Ashbourne Telegraph.
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Written byCAROLYN BOINTON
MAYFIELD and Ellastone Community First Responders recently held a mandatory training evening to ensure their lifesaving skills comply with compulsory updates from West Midlands Ambulance Service.
A spokesman for the group said: “We are part of West Midlands Ambulance Service and if a 999 call is made in our area, we get dispatched and are usually first on scene.
“Our qualified responders can start treatment straight away but are always backed up by a professional paramedic or ambulance crew.
“Our responders are some of the most advanced trained in the country, which is why we are continually keeping our skills up to date and hold regular training sessions.
“We have the fastest response times in the country as we are based within the community, sometimes our responders arrive on scene while the 999 call is still being made.
“We have two vehicles, both of which have been bought with funds raised by the community and all our responders are locals who know the area well.
“Although we may be neighbours, callers can rest assured that all details of any call-out remain totally confidential.”
Read more: http://www.ashbournenewstelegraph.co.uk/News/First-Responder-group-meets-monthly-to-practice-lifesaving-skills-20140314100911.htm#ixzz2wcWNKN75
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JIM O’HALLERAN REACHES NEW HEIGHTS IN KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION FOR MAYFIELD & ELLASTONE COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDER GROUP
~ Jim O’Halleran, a driver for the responders raises £18,000 for charity by climbing Kilimanjaro ~
Mayfield & Ellastone First Responders today congratulate Jim O’Halleran on climbing Kilimanjaro and raising £18,000 for his two nominated charities the Responsible Gaming Trust (RGT) and Mayfield & Ellastone Community First Responder Group (M&E CFRG).
Jim, at 62, was the oldest of the 27 volunteers who took part in the charity challenge expedition organised by the RGT. Jim’s fellow trekkers included colleagues from the gambling industry in which he works and also Robbie Savage the ex-professional footballer and now TV pundit. The climb took over seven days with all but two of the climbers reaching the top at Gilmans Point on the craters edge with a further 13, which included Jim, making it all the way to the very summit Uhuru peak at 5895m, 19341ft.
“It was a lot tougher than any of us had envisaged”, said Jim. “We all suffered the effects of altitude sickness to varying levels, and the final nights assent coping with 50% less oxygen was undoubtedly the hardest challenge I have ever attempted; both physically and mentally. However, I don’t regret a moment of it as I’ve raised £18,000 for two fantastic causes. I am extremely grateful to everyone who has sponsored me”, added Jim.
The event was organised by the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) in an attempt to raise over £50,000 to help minimise gambling-related harm in Britain. Jim guaranteed he would raise at least £3,000 for the RGT charity with anything beyond that going to Mayfield & Ellastone Community First Responder Group.
Jim and one of his fellow trekkers are pictured here, holding the M&E CFR flag on top of the summit of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru peak 5895m, 19341ft.
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Jim has taken part in an amazing charity climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Jim volunteers as a driver for the Ellastone and Mayfield First Responder group, together with Nicola, the group’s coordinator. He has completed the expedition in order to raise funds for both the Responsible Gambling Trust and Mayfield and the Ellastone First Responder Group. During the seven-day expedition Jim, together with 27 other adventurers, endured low temperatures, high winds and altitude sickness but managed to scale the 19,341ft mountain.
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Carolyn’s in training.
Does that mean faster responding?
Carolyn, one of our Mayfield and Ellastone CFRs will be taking on the London Marathon next year. She will be raising funds for the British Heart Foundation and to help raise awareness of community first responders and the vital role they play within rural communities.
Carolyn, who is not known for her running (yet), has never taken on a challenge quite like this before and is following a rigorous training programme around the streets of Ashbourne to ensure she is ready for the big day. Her blog is very very funny, we might even say a new Bridget Jones!! Read it each week in the Ashbourne Telegraph online
If you would like to support Carolyn to hit her fundraising target of £2,000 can do so by clicking on 
or by texting CAZS47 and the amount you wish to donate to 70070 (E.g. CAZS47 £5).
Picture courtesy of the Ashbourne Telegraph.
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MAYFIELD and Ellastone Community First Responders have been presented with a £1,000 donation from Wootton Village.
MAYFIELD and Ellastone Community First Responders were presented with a cheque for £685 from Wootton Parish Council.
The money was raised from sales of a village calender, with all photographs taken and selected by residents.
First Responder, Gavin Lynch, said: “The photo competition was well supported by the community and the standard of entry was excellent.
“On behalf of the group I would like to thank the Wootton Parish Council for their generous donation, Sara Longley for the graphic design and Mark Lockley for the printing.”
MAYFIELD and Ellastone Community First Responders have been presented with a £1,000 donation from Ashbourne Lions Club.
The club, which raises money for causes in and around Ashbourne, presented a cheque to the charity at its recent monthly meeting.
Mike Burrows, first responders group chairman, said: “It’s fantastic to receive such generous support from Ashbourne Lions Club and we are incredibly grateful to them. We continually need to fund-raise to be able to run the group, and a boost like this will help with our plans to buy a new vehicle and train more life-saving responders.”
Read more: Ashbourne News Telegraph
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Carolyn Bointon has shocked us all from the Mayfield & Ellastone Responders Group by announcing she will be taking part, and completing (we have faith Carolyn!), in the 2014 London Marathon. Carolyn has been a first responder for (however long) and has brought so much to our dedicated team, so in return, we would now like to give something back.
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