ROTARY CLUB OF SANDWICH DONATES FUNDS FOR A NEW DEFIBRILLATOR AT THE BELL HOTEL

Members of the Rotary Club of Sandwich visited The Bell Hotel in the town recently to see a new defibrillator installed on site.
 
The Club decided to donate funds for the installation of the lifesaving device following an incident at the hotel in The Quay in August in which one of their members was taken unwell.
 
Club President Ray Stevens, who had undergone heart surgery a few weeks before, suffered a cardiac arrest, but, thanks to the quick thinking of team members at The Bell and Rotary Club members, including retired GP and past Club President Gerald Dean, Ray was resuscitated and taken to hospital.
 
A defibrillator from the nearby Drill Hall was used as part of the operation to revive him, and afterwards the Club offered to donate the funds to have one stationed at The Bell permanently.
 
On Wednesday, November 23, representatives of the Rotary Club were at The Bell, accompanied by the pub’s Deputy Manager Mark Rowley, to see the defibrillator in situ.
  
Paul Graeme, MBE, JP, Past Club President and former Mayor of Sandwich, had offered some funds which had been raised from charity events in his last year as Mayor, with the Club adding to that to pay the full amount.

Mr Graeme said: “We are very pleased to be jointly able to provide the funds to have this defibrillator stationed at Shepherd Neame’s The Bell. It is reassuring to know such lifesaving equipment is available there, though we hope we won’t need to use it!”

The Club regularly has meetings at The Bell and its special President’s chair is kept in the reception area for the Club’s use.

Shepherd Neame Health and Safety Manager Harry Collins said: “We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Sandwich for their generous donation and are pleased to now have our own defibrillator on site at The Bell Hotel.”

Club President Ray Stephens was unable to attend the unveiling himself, as he was being discharged from hospital that day, and is now on his way to making a full recovery.