Defibrillator available ‘round the clock at Te Puke Anglican Church

Reverend Ruth Dewdney with the new defibrillator donated to Te Puke Anglican Church, which is also available to the whole community.

An anonymous donor stuck their hand in their pocket and stumped up for a defibrillator for Te Puke Anglican Church.

What is more, the defibrillator is located on the external wall of the church office, meaning it is available to the wider community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Reverend Ruth Dewdney, the church vicar, says there is a lot of activity in the church that typically involves older members of the community.

The Kauri Centre runs day services for the elderly and uses the church hall two days a week.

“We have an older congregation, and we have funerals which are predominantly attended by older people, and we have an op shop which is staffed predominantly by retired volunteers, so the need is great around here,” she says.

The nearest alternative defibrillator is in Countdown supermarket, but it is not available 24 hours a day. The nearest one which is can be found outside Te Puke Library.

Ruth sits on the St John Ambulance Te Puke area committee, and spoke to chairwoman Lyn Govenlock about having a defibrillator at the church.

“We just had this casual conversation, and I said, ‘I think we need one’ ... and then I thought, ‘I have no idea how we are going to get one, but we’ll work on it’.

“Then, about two weeks ago, Lyn turned up here with a box for me and said, ‘That’s a defibrillator’.

A donor, who did not want to be named, had contacted Lyn saying they wanted to donate a defibrillator, asking if she knew where it could go.

“We have no idea who the donor is, but we are eternally grateful,” says Ruth. “It is a huge gift and a huge surprise. We wouldn’t have been able to afford it - this is like gold for us.”

The same donor has also paid for training to be provided by the area committee.

Some at the church know the access code to open the box the defibrillator is in, but others can call 111 to get it.

The defibrillator is easily accessible with no complex steps to negotiate, and there is convenient parking in the church carpark.