Bob Lane and Bryan Sweetland commissioned a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at Shorne Village Hall on 22nd December 2018.
Bob is a prospective candidate for the Shorne, Cobham and Luddesdown ward in the 2019 local elections and Bryan is Kent County Councillor for Gravesend Rural. Bob is also Chairman of Shorne Parish Council which jointly funded the AED with Shorne Village Hall, supported by a generous KCC Member's grant sponsored by Bryan.
This is one of 6 AEDs in Gravesham villages that Bryan has sponsored through the grant scheme. Bryan said: "This is a good use of grant funding, as an AED can be a life-saver in rural communities where it may take longer for the emergency services to attend."
Gloria Ashby is the Chair of Shorne Village Hall, and they were considering purchasing their own indoor AED for use inside the village hall. However, this would not have been accessible to the public when the village hall was closed. Bob, who is also a Trustee of Shorne Village Hall, proposed that the Parish Council should provide the AED, to be installed outside the hall, and that the village hall would contribute towards the cost. Bob said; "This is a win/win solution for all parties. The village hall now has immediate access to an AED for half the cost of buying their own indoor version, and the AED is available to the people in Shorne at any time, day or night. On behalf of the Parish Council, I would like to thank Gloria, the Village Hall, and its patrons for their donation towards the cost, and Bryan for sponsoring the grant."
