We need more volunteers!

---

I’ve been checking the same six defibrillators around Southend for six years now. John does the same with another six. Early mornings before work, evenings after the shops close, doesn’t matter if it’s raining – we just do it.

We don’t get paid. We’re not heroes. We just know that one day, one of those bright yellow boxes might be the reason someone gets to go home to their family.

But here’s the thing: we can’t keep doing this alone.

The problem we’re facing

Southend has 12 publicly accessible defibrillators right now. We maintain every single one of them. But 12 isn’t enough for a town this size. We need at least 30 – outside sports clubs, taxi ranks, shopping parades, anywhere people gather.

John and I aren’t getting any younger. We need people who can take this on for the next decade, not just the next year.

That’s why I’m writing this. We need volunteers. We need trustees. We need people who really care about the people of Southend.

What volunteers actually do

You don’t need medical training. You don’t need to give up your weekends. Here’s what we actually need:

Monthly Defib Checks (20 minutes per defib)

Open the cabinet. Check the light is green. Make sure the pads haven’t expired. Close it up. That’s it. We’ll show you exactly what to do -it’s simpler than you think.

Fundraising Support

Every new defib costs money. Every set of pads costs money. Every battery costs money We’re funded entirely by donations and grants – no government money, no big corporate sponsors.

You don’t need to organise a black-tie gala. A cake sale raises money. Asking your workplace to donate raises money. Sharing our posts gets us seen by people who can donate and/or volunteer.

Spreading Awareness

Most people in Southend don’t know where their nearest defib is. Post about it in your local Facebook group. Tell your gym, your café, your kids’ school. Put up a poster in your workplace.

When someone collapses, people panic. If even one person remembers “there’s a defib outside the Co-op,” that’s a life saved.

CPR Awareness Sessions

If you’re trained in CPR – or willing to get trained – we run free courses and sessions at our community events with the Carli Lansley Foundation. Each session is 2 hours (with an interval of a about 20 minutes for teas and coffees). The first section will provide vital training on how to perform CPR on an adult. The second section will show how to safely use a defibrillator plus how to perform CPR on a baby or child.

We need younger Trustees

We need younger people who can take this charity forward for the next 10, 20 years. People who understand fundraising, community engagement, or just how to run a small organisation without it falling apart.

Our Trustee Board has six people. Only two or three of us are active right now. And I’ll be honest: we’re all getting on a bit!

You don’t need to be a heart specialist. You don’t need a law degree. You need:

• A few hours a month
• Some experience with business, marketing, or fundraising
• A genuine desire to help your community.

What trustees actually do:

• Meet four times a year (in person or online)
• Keep the database up to date
• Help secure funding and sponsorships from local businesses
• Make decisions about where new defibs should go
• Make sure we’re doing things properly and legally.

It’s not glamorous work. But it’s important work.

Why this actually matters

Let me give you the numbers that keep me up at night:

In the UK, fewer than 1 in 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital survive to 30 days – and every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent, while early CPR and defibrillation can double or quadruple the likelihood of survival.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK

Without immediate CPR and defibrillation, survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are as low as 7-8%.

But using a defibrillator within 3-5 minutes can increase survival rates to 50-70%, with early CPR doubling or quadrupling the chances of survival.

(Source: The statistics are based on data from the Resuscitation Council UK, the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the London Ambulance Service, and other reputable sources such as the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) Registry and University of Warwick.)

That’s not a marginal difference. That’s someone’s mum. Someone’s husband. Someone’s best mate.

Cardiac arrest doesn’t care if you’re fit or young or “healthy.” It just happens. And when it does, you’ve got about 10 minutes before brain damage starts.

The defibs we maintain aren’t theoretical. They get used. They save lives. But only if they’re working and people know they’re there.

That’s the gap we’re trying to close.

How you can help today

If you want to make a difference, become a Volunteer

Email us at info@startaheartsouthend.org.uk with “Volunteer” in the subject line. Tell us:

• Where you’re based in Southend
• What you’re interested in helping with (defib checks, fundraising, awareness, admin)
• Roughly how much time can give (even an hour a month helps)

We’ll reply and find something that fits your life.

If you’re interested in being a Trustee

Same email address, subject line “Trustee Interest.” You don’t need to send a CV. Just tell us:

• A bit about yourself
• Any relevant experience (business, fundraising, community work)
• Why you care about this.

We’ll arrange a chat- no pressure, no commitment until you’re ready.

If you can’t give time right now

That’s fine. You can still help:

Donate: Every pound goes toward pads, batteries, and new defibs.

Share this post: Someone in your network might be the perfect volunteer.

Tag us when you see our defibs: @startaheartsouthend on Instagram and Facebook. It helps spread awareness.

We are a small charity supporting Southend City in saving lives one defib at a time

We’re a small charity doing work that matters. We don’t have fancy offices or paid staff. We’ve got John, myself, a handful of brilliant volunteers, and 12 bright yellow boxes scattered around Southend that need checking every month.

If you’ve ever thought “I should do something for my community,“ this is it. This is the something. This could be your calling to give back to a community that has given to you.

We’re not asking you to change your life. We’re asking you to give what you can- whether that’s an hour a month checking a defib, a tenner toward new pads, or just sharing this post with someone who might help.

Because here’s what I know after six years of doing this:

Someone may collapse in Southend this year. Maybe this month. And whether they survive or not might come down to whether there’s a working defib nearby and whether someone knows how to use it.

You can help make sure the answer to both those questions is yes.

Get in touch: info@startaheartsouthend.org.uk

---

Start a Heart Southend
Charity Number: 1212779
Keeping Southend’s defibrillators working since 2020