A Ruddington fitness centre has launched a special fundraiser to buy emergency, life-saving equipment for its premises.
The staff at Compound Strength and Conditioning are aiming to raise £1000 to install a defibrillator at their gym, as there currently isn’t one located in the Brookside Road area of Ruddington.
Jules Abbott explains: “Last year myself and my brother Max, who is my business partner and one of the other co-owners of Compound Strength and Conditioning, unexpectedly lost our dad Cyril due to a sudden heart attack. He had the heart attack in the middle of the night at home and, although the paramedics were incredible, by the time they arrived with a defibrillator it was too late and he had been unconscious for too long to be saved. He put up an incredible fight in a coma for almost 24 hours but his brain had been starved of oxygen and his organs eventually failed. Our dad was our best friend and helped so much with the setting up of ‘Compound’ back in 2016. It was something he was very proud of.”
On the gym’s third birthday (Saturday June 8th) they will be raising money to buy the automatic defib shown – poignantly on the weekend which would also have been their father’s 66th birthday (June 9th). It’s being bought in Cyril’s memory because Max and Jules now fully realise the importance of these devices and the speed at which they need to be accessed.
Currently eight defibrillators are known to be available at locations elsewhere around Ruddington – at St Peter’s Rooms, Elms Park Pavilion, our two doctors’ surgeries, Ruddington Dental Practice, St Peter’s School, on the gates of Artex down Pasture Lane, plus the mobile defibrillator carried around by Ruddington taxi driver Richard Le Blond. However, not all are accessible 24/7.
Defibrillators can be vital when someone’s heart loses its natural rhythm – known as arrhythmia – to deliver a dose of electric current that, all being well, will start it beating normally again. They come with easy to follow instructions, meaning that anyone should be able to use them in an emergency.
“We’re now more determined than ever to help people prioritise their health and fitness” says Jules. “We hope we never have to use our defibrillator, but the reassurance of having one on site will be priceless, having seen first hand how vital they can be.”
Jules and Max are currently appealing for business donations to their fundraising raffle. In return, they promise publicity across their various social media platforms – ‘Compound Strength and Conditioning’, ‘Nottingham Weightlifting Club’ and Jules’ own personal nutrition business pages. To pledge a product or service you can contact the Gym on 07795 253 152 or email info@compoundsc.co.uk before June 8th.
UPDATE 13th JUNE 2019:
Following the fundraising event, Jules reports: “We have been totally blown away by the amazing support from our family, friends & members in raising funds for a defibrillator to be installed at Compound! The target was smashed on Saturday at our 3rd birthday but we’re aware that there were a few more people who still wanted to contribute.
“If we can get to £2k then we will put this towards 2 defibs – one to be permanently at the gym and another to be installed at an accessible place for the Ruddington community.If we don’t make the second defib then extra funds raised will be split between the British Heart Foundation & Heart Link Children’s Charity (Cyril Abbott’s charity choice).”
The crowdfunding page they set up will be closing this weekend so, if you wish to make an individual individual or corporate monetary donation via JustGiving, please do so soonest >>HERE<<.
