While many of us use the run-up to Christmas as an excuse to enjoy an extra treat or two, one group of fitness enthusiasts took a different approach.
The Deeside Fitness Group took part in a 12 Days of Christmas Challenge – each running, walking, cycling or swimming 5K a day.
The team said the idea of the challenge was to motivate each other during December while raising money for Banchory Area First Responders – a charity close to their hearts.
On Monday, the club presented the £1,700 raised to David Wood, the coordinator of Banchory Area First Responders.
In 2016, the charity was formally launched and has since had its local volunteers dispatched by the ambulance service to provide immediate life-saving care until ambulance crews arrive.
Last January, statistics showed that north-east residents were left waiting twice as long as the national target for “red” emergencies.
In emergencies, survival rates can decrease by 10% for every minute without critical first aid such as CPR and defibrillation.
The Banchory Area First Responders cover the area from Aboyne all the way to Maryculter.
Deeside Fitness do CPR bootcamp
To promote the charity’s good work, Deeside Fitness decided to run a CPR bootcamp for its members before handing over the cheque.
Resuscitation officer at NHS Grampian Claire Ellis, who ran the class, said: “Bystander CPR rates can triple survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and are part of the Scottish government’s initiative to improve survival rates.
“We thought if we could empower just one person to feel confident enough to provide CPR then that might save a life.
“I was delighted that so many people turned up for our event and performed a very high standard of CPR in between shuttle runs and burpees.”
Donation provides ‘lifesaving care’
Mr Wood said the donation would provide “lifesaving care” due to the equipment the charity could now buy.
Included on the list of purchases are pads and batteries for public-access defibrillators.
Although it is a volunteer-run organisation, the charity has to foot the bill for most of its own equipment.
In 2021, they had to pay £500 after a defibrillator was damaged by vandals at King George V Park in Banchory.
The charity only has two active first responders and is “always looking” for more people to get involved.
To learn more about the Banchory Area First Responders, visit its Facebook page.
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