STA is pleased to announce that a community centre serving the Pevensey area of Bognor Regis has become the twelfth and final recipient of a life-saving defibrillator through its 2025 Community Heart STArters campaign.

The Bognor Regis Youth & Community Centre (BRYCC) provides a safe, welcoming space for people of all ages, from young children through to older residents aged up to 98. Activities include keep-fit sessions, arts and crafts, coffee mornings and the provision of a warm space, offering vital social connection and support for local people.

Located in a residential area with a significant elderly population, the community centre identified a clear need for an on-site defibrillator. The nearest publicly accessible device is approximately 15 minutes away, and in an emergency, this distance could prove critical. As a small charity, the centre does not have the funds to purchase a defibrillator independently.

With regular use by older service users and families alike, the installation of a defibrillator will significantly strengthen safety provision, ensuring immediate access to life-saving equipment should a cardiac emergency occur.

On receiving the news about the donation, Kez Dunnaway, Centre Manager at BRYCC, said: “Thank you so much for this support – we’re absolutely delighted to receive the defibrillator. It will make a big difference to our centre and the people who use it every day, giving reassurance to staff, volunteers and visitors alike. Knowing this life-saving equipment is available on site will strengthen safety for our whole community, and we’re extremely grateful to be part of the Community Heart STArters campaign.”

Dave Candler, CEO of STA, said: “Community centres like BRYCC play a vital role in supporting wellbeing, reducing isolation and bringing people together. Where vulnerable and older residents are regularly present, access to a defibrillator can make a real difference. We’re proud to support the centre with this final donation and help ensure their community is better protected.”

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 2025, year-long Community Heart STArters campaign has now come to an end. STA would like to thank all organisations that applied and everyone who has helped extend the reach of life-saving defibrillators into communities across the UK. To read about all the recipients, visit www.sta.co.uk/community-heart-starters