Thanks to a generous gesture by local firm Gwent Energy, Monmouthshire County Council’s community hub in Chepstow has received a defibrillator which could help save lives in the town.  The defibrillator will be set into an external wall and will be available for use at all times.

Gwent Energy specialises in energy-saving technology and provides the electric vehicle charging point next to the community hub.  Phil Powell of Gwent Energy said: “A few years ago, Gwent Energy CIC installed an electric vehicle charge point next to the community hub in Chepstow, as our area was lacking in charging infrastructure. Funds raised from the use of this charge point help to provide community benefit for Monmouthshire. As all of our community events have understandably been cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were instead presented with the wonderful opportunity to use our community funds to purchase and install an important and potential life-saving kit.”

Councillor Paul Jordan, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for the county’s community hubs added: “We’re very grateful to Gwent Energy for providing a defibrillator at Chepstow Community Hub where it will be conveniently situated for the centre of the town.  We hope we’re never in a position when we have to use it but it’s good to know that if the occasion demands we can help to save a life.”

Meanwhile, a successful application to charity Welsh Hearts, which provides public-access defibrillators, screening for heart conditions and CPR training for the public in Wales, will result in the installation of a similar apparatus at Usk Community Hub in the near future.