A ST Martin hotel has passed a fundraising target to install a defibrillator on its premises – and has now made plans to raise funds for two more in the Gorey area.
The Moorings Hotel, on Gorey Pier, saw a potentially fatal gap in the live-saving provision near the property and launched a JustGiving campaign seeking funds for the installation of the equipment.
Having launched the campaign at 8pm on Sunday evening, the target had been reached around 90 minutes later.
Thanking Islanders for their “incredible response”, Iselin Jones, who runs the hotel with her husband Matthew, confirmed that the fundraising would continue with the hope of installing two more defibrillators.
The fundraising campaign came after a medical emergency at the hotel on Christmas Eve when an ambulance had to be called to the hotel for one of its residents. Fearing that he was going into cardiac arrest, the hotel staff rushed to where they though the nearest defibrillator was and found it wasn’t available.
Mrs Jones said that the incident “really gave us the shock that we needed to take action” adding that the key is having the equipment in “more locations” to keep Islanders safe.
The JustGiving page said that the nearest defibs were at St Catherine, St Martin’s Public Hall and the Grouville Co-op, which “quite simply is too far, when the seconds count”.
The total raised had reached almost £3,000 by yesterday afternoon – almost reaching the amount needed for two further defibrillators. Mrs Jones said they wanted to put one on the Long Beach slipway, by Rhona’s beach cafe, one in The Moorings underpass, and one by Mont Orgueil castle to provide easy access to the whole community.
Mrs Jones said: “We’ve always said since taking on The Moorings that it’s such a neighbourhood and we’re part of a really incredible community.
“This really shows that the community spirit burns strong.”
You can donate to their JustGiving page here.
