Cheers to life-saving donations after Nidderdale pub smashes fund-raising goal

An overwhelming show of support from local businesses and the customers of a Pateley Bridge pub has seen more than £2,000 raised in a week for a new defibrillator.
Landlord and landlady, Daniel and Caroline Jack gave thanks for the support from the communityLandlord and landlady, Daniel and Caroline Jack gave thanks for the support from the community
Landlord and landlady, Daniel and Caroline Jack gave thanks for the support from the community

Customers at the Bridge Inn on Low Wath Road smashed a target to raise £1,900 for the defibrillator as of Monday, April 2, raising enough to also make donations to the Yorkshire Ambulance and Yorkshire Air Ambulance services.

Landlord and landlady, Daniel and Caroline Jack, began their push after attending a first aid course in Pateley Bridge and realised how far away the nearest defibrillator was from the pub.

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Caroline said: “Part of the course had a defibrillator element and we found out that we were around a mile away from he nearest one on the High Street in Pateley Bridge. If there is an emergency situation we will have to get someone out of the pub, into a car and get there, there could well be no point setting off to get them there.

“We decided that we would go to our customers, put a bucket on the bar and see if we could raise enough. We were still thinking that we would be applying for funding from the Yorkshire Ambulance at that point.

“But the generosity of the community has been overwhelming. The fact we do not have to dip into the funding from the service and we can give something back is down to the show of support from the community and businesses.”

The pair have been left touched that support for fund-raising continues to pour in. Last year they raised £6,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance thanks to the support of the community.

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A recent incident at the pub, and the additional access it would offer to others in the area, has driven home how important the defibrillator could be to them as they await its installation.

Caroline said: “We had an emergency last week, they were not feeling well but luckily they were fine.

“But it just puts things into perspective on how important having this in place is.

“This would not just be for the pub either, we are surrounded by residential sites, caravans and farms. As a rural area we need access to things like this.”

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She added: “If it saves just one life it will be worth every single penny.”

Following the installation, a first aid course will be taught by Ruth Watson, who led the course at St Cuthbert’s Church in Pateley Bridge which Caroline and Daniel attended.

While also hoping to raise awareness of the importance of first aid skills it is hoped it will dispel fears of using defibrillators in an emergency.

Caroline said: “For a lot of people it can be scary when it comes to needing to use a defibrillator, unless they learn how to use them people are going to be reluctant to use them. This is why we are hoping to raise community awareness through this training.”

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While giving thanks to the generosity of the pub’s customers, Caroline pointed to the support of Jetlife Cases, Dacre, Son and Hartley, Corrigan and Son Construction Ltd, DTH Caravan Services and the Greenhow Gun Club.

One of the employees at Dacre, Son and Hartley, Alison Reiley, managed to raise £172 for the funding pot after she organised a cake stall.