An iconic phonebox in Holmes Chapel, is being transformed into a lifesaving defibrillator station thanks to the local Parish Council and a donation from HMG Paints. By taking part in a BT & the Community Heartbeat Trust scheme.

After a letter was spotted in a local newspaper suggesting the installation of defibrillators in the run down telephone kiosks brothers Stephen and John Falder, of HMG Paints, responded immediately to offer a helping hand.

Cllr Michael Street who was the local councillor leading the transformation project for the two telephone kiosks either side of the village said “The quick donation of paint from HMG has taken the project off to a great start, restoring the kiosks in to the iconic red phone boxes we know and love. We are now looking for ideas on how to raise the money for the defibrillators”

“As a local resident in nearby Knutsford I was more than happy to help our neighbours in Holmes Chapel and supply the gloss and undercoat to give the phone boxes a new lease of life back to the iconic symbols they are, as part of the BCF initiative,” stated John Falder, managing director of HMG Paints Ltd, the largest independent paint manufacturer in the UK, and acting president of The British Coatings Federation (BCF).

“Through The British Coatings Federation who are partnering with the Community Heartbeat Trust and BT to promote the installation, HMG will be pleased to arrange the supply of red gloss, undercoat and primer free of charge to Holmes Chapel and any community that adopts a phone box from BT with the intention of installing a defibrillator.” commented John Falder. Communities can adopt a phone box from BT for only £1, and work with the Communities Heartbeat Trust to install a lifesaving defibrillator.

HMG Paints Ltd have been supplying paint to councils across the country under the ‘Adopt  a telephone kiosk’ scheme in councils from Norfolk to Nottinghamshire and were the first company to donate paint to the scheme in the very first installation in Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire back in 2012.

Holmes Chapel is home to existing defibrillators situated at the local school and other popular areas but the difference and advantage of the new defibrillator is that it will be accessible 24 hours a day. Being a popular cycle route with the uninterrupted road layouts the defibrillator will be situated in an ideal location. Statistics prove that following a Cardiac Arrest medical treatment should start as soon as possible as the chance of survival decreases by 23 percent per minute. The equipment can only be accessed by phoning 999 and following instructions during an emergency call.

Nicola Clarke, Holmes Chapel Council Clerk described the phone box as an “iconic feature in Holmes Chapel.  A donation of paint along with the installation of a defibrillator has kept the English heritage alive throughout the village.” Various voluntary groups in the village will be looking after the maintenance of the phone box and defibrillator inside checking the batteries regularly.
Hiring a painter Holmes Chapel were able to get the phone boxes painted professionally,  “The painter took pride in painting the phone boxes and even gave up his free time to finish them” commented Nicola. The vibrant red colour of the newly painted phone boxes is visible when arriving in the village. The next step is to raise funds to buy the Public Access Defibrillators. The community are in discussions on how they will raise the funds needed.

For more information on the BCF scheme visit their website. http://www.coatings.org.uk/adopt-a-telephone-kiosk.aspx