A wedding guest fell ill, so Flyfords Village Hall now has a 24-hour public defibrillator serving Flyford Flavell, Grafton Flyford and North Piddle.

A public defibrillator is now on the wall of Flyfords Village Hall, and it is there because of a wedding. A guest became unwell during the celebrations of William Hewitt, who sits on the hall committee, and he then applied to a memorial charity for the equipment.

The defibrillator was donated and installed by the Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust (HAJMT). It can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is meant to serve the three parishes of Flyford Flavell, Grafton Flyford and North Piddle.

What happened at the wedding

According to the trust, paramedics were called when the guest fell ill. A cardiologist who was among the wedding guests looked after them until the ambulance arrived.

“The experience highlighted just how important it is to have lifesaving equipment close at hand, particularly in rural communities where emergency services may have further to travel,” the trust said.

It added that the defibrillator gives “reassurance and a potentially lifesaving resource for residents and visitors alike”.

The Flyfords Hall, a red brick building with an oak-framed porch, a name stone in the front wall and a Union flag on a pole, with a small group and a dog standing by the entrance
The Flyfords Hall, with the hall committee and the trust's chairman by the entrance. Photo: supplied by the Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust

A busy hall in a rural spot

The hall is used for weddings, parties and community functions, and hosts regular Pilates classes, the trust says. The yellow cabinet is fixed to the outside wall beside the main entrance.

Those at the handover were committee members William Hewitt, Penny Hawkins and Janette Bricks, with Reggie the dog, and the trust’s chairman, Sally Angell-James.

Who the trust is

The charity was set up in memory of Henry Angell-James, who died suddenly after a cardiac arrest. Its website says he collapsed on his regular train journey home from Birmingham to Shrewsbury, at the age of 54. It is registered with the Charity Commission under number 1181884.

The trust says it aims to place defibrillators “in key locations across the West Midlands and beyond, particularly in rural communities, village halls, schools, sports grounds and other public spaces where access to lifesaving equipment may be limited”. Its earlier Worcestershire placements include The Barn at Dinthill in Boraston.

Four people and a dog standing on a paved terrace outside a red brick hall, with a yellow defibrillator cabinet on the wall behind them
The new defibrillator cabinet on the wall of Flyfords Village Hall. Photo: supplied by the Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust

What it means for you

  • If someone collapses near Flyford Flavell, Grafton Flyford or North Piddle, call 999. The defibrillator on the outside wall of the village hall is available day and night.
  • If your village, school, club or hall has no defibrillator, the trust is taking applications from communities and organisations that would benefit from a publicly accessible one. Details and the form are on its apply page.
  • To support the trust, donations go to buying defibrillators for communities that could not raise the money themselves, its website says. See its donations page.

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