HEALTH-AWARE youngsters in Mickley unveiled a brand new defibrillator for the village last week.

The new life-saving device has been installed outside of Mickley Social Club, after being paid for through county councillor Anne Dale’s Members’ Small Schemes allowance.

But local schoolchildren were also keen to help, and completed their own fund-raising to help towards the package, which also included training and promotion activities for after the device was installed.

“I am delighted that the school wanted to be part of providing for a defibrillator which was much needed for the village,” said Coun. Dale.

“It was of great community importance and I am very grateful for everybody’s help, and delighted we have managed to get one for the village.”

The schoolchildren became involved after completing a whole host of work around healthy living and exercise.

These included creating a mapping project for their village and taking part in the daily mile initiative.

Coun. Dale said the subject of a defibrillator came up during discussions with the children because Mickley did not have one, and Coun. Dale had promised the installation of one in her manifesto.

With many villages in the area installing their own devices in case anyone should need one, the children were keen to support the idea.

Defibrillators deliver a dose of electric current to the heart to help it restart to treat cardiac arrest.

Mickley Social Club has supported the installation by agreeing to have it placed outside the club and by helping to ensure it was working.

The club will host a training event for members of the community to get to grips with how it works once a date has been decided.