STA is delighted to announce that Aylsham Church Hall, part of the North Walsham Parish in Norfolk, has become the sixth recipient of a life-saving defibrillator through its 2025 Community Heart STArters campaign.

This donation was made following a nomination by John Holden, an STA Tutor and trainer of lifesaving, who delivers STA programmes to parishioners and recognised the urgent need for equipment in the church hall.

The North Walsham Parish consists of three churches – Sacred Heart (North Walsham), St Helens (Hoveton), and St John of the Cross (Aylsham). While the first two already had defibrillators, the Aylsham site did not. Thanks to STA, all three churches within the parish are now covered.

“Generally, defibrillators are an advantage no matter where you have them,” said John Holden. “The difficulty is finding one quickly in an emergency, and with this donation, we can now provide faster, potentially life-saving support on-site.”

John also highlighted the particular importance of this defibrillator for the parish’s ageing congregation, where cardiac arrests are more common. As part of the installation, John has personally tutored parishioners in CPD/Defib courses. “Of course, anyone can use a defib, but the training gives people a head start and a little more confidence,” he explained.

The defibrillator won’t only be available during services but also during community activities hosted in the church hall. The parish is also exploring the possibility of mounting the unit outside in a secure, coded cabinet so it can be made available for broader community use.

Dave Candler, CEO of STA, said: “We are thrilled to support the parish at Aylsham as part of our Community Heart STArters campaign – and particularly pleased to do so following John Holden’s nomination. John exemplifies the spirit of STA Tutors: not only teaching lifesaving skills, but actively helping his community to be safer and more resilient. With this donation, all three parish churches are now equipped with a defibrillator, giving reassurance and potentially life-saving support to everyone who uses these facilities.”

Fran Ludden, Chair of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, North Walsham, Parish Pastoral Council, said:

“We would like to thank the trustees of the STA for their kind generosity. Having a defib on site will eliminate any delay should there be an incident.”

All defibrillators donated through the Community Heart STArters campaign are registered on The Circuit, the British Heart Foundation’s national defibrillator network. This ensures emergency services can direct 999 callers to the nearest available device when every second counts.

The Community Heart STArters campaign will continue throughout 2025, with STA providing defibrillators to grassroots, charitable, and community organisations across the UK – uniting communities and saving lives.

To learn more about STA’s Community Heart STArters campaign and how to apply, please go to www.sta.co.uk/community-heart-STArters