Access government funding for a defibrillator and learn how to register it so the emergency services can locate it!

Many councils and communities in the last few years have been installing a public access defibrillator (or more than one!) in public places. Other communities may still be looking into this provision, or may want to add to their available defibrillators.

Defibrillators can provide life-saving treatment, with latest research showing that accessing one within 3-5 minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%. If you are interested in purchasing a defibrillator then you might be pleased to learn that there is government funding available, and if you do already own one then you may want to register it on a national database so it can be found easily when needed.

Defibrillator funding

Community organisations are being invited to bid for funding for a defibrillator in their area; get a share of the £1million of government funding available to buy life-saving devices for community spaces! The Department of Health and Social Care is inviting interested organisations to register their interest in the fund, which is aimed at increasing the number of defibrillators available in public places. They are hoping an estimated 1000 new defibrillators can be provided.

Read more and register your interest here

Defibrillator network

The government has written to all councils encouraging them to register their defibrillators on ‘The Circuit‘. As it stands, many defibrillators are never used because emergency services do not know where they are or how to access them. The British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the NHS, Resuscitation Council UK and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, have set up The Circuit as a national defibrillator network database which provides information on where defibrillators are located.

Registering a defibrillator with The Circuit enables the emergency services, including first responders, to locate the nearest publicly accessible defibrillators.

Read stories from East Budleigh and South Tawton who have installed defibrillators already and please do tell us about it if you’re planning to put one in place.

Households on low incomes can get help with food and utility costs this winter via the Household Support Fund, administered locally by Devon County Council. Councils can help by sharing the news in their community.

The Household Support Fund totals £500m nationally, and Devon’s allocation is a little over £5 million. The grant is distributed through small payments to support vulnerable households to meet daily needs such as food, clothing and utilities as well as emergency boiler and heating repairs, winter clothing and more.

The timescales for getting this essential financial support to residents in Devon are short and ambitious, which requires your assistance to identify and reach those in need. People’s preferences for accessing information and support can vary so please help make sure there are a variety of ways that individuals can identify the support available.

Councillor Roger Croad, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “It is clear that the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to put a huge financial strain on some people and the effects are likely to be felt for some time still to come. It’s no surprise when so many people in Devon work in sectors such as catering, hospitality, leisure, retail and tourism, which were among the hardest hit over the last 18 months.

“The impact on household budgets means many people are finding it especially difficult now as we move into colder winter months, particularly with the cost of food, energy, water and other essential items.

“In fact more families in Devon are eligible for free school meals for their children than ever before, with numbers soaring during the coronavirus pandemic to the highest levels on record. Nearly 18,500 children in Devon now qualify for free school meals, which equates to nearly 18.5 per cent per cent of all school children in the county and 2500 more children than this time last year.

“We are committed to supporting people in Devon experiencing hardship and this funding will help those who are struggling.

“We’ve worked with our colleagues in the district councils, at Citizens Advice Devon and in our schools and colleges to ensure that this money gets to the people who need it most as quickly as possible, so if you need help I encourage you to get in touch.”

Extra support this Christmas for families to buy food and stay active

Over the past year Devon County Council has provided supermarket vouchers worth £15 per child per week of the school holidays to families who qualify for free school meals, so their children don’t go hungry. That is being doubled for Christmas, with an extra one-off £30 supermarket voucher, so families will receive a £60 voucher per child for the two-weeks to help with the additional financial pressure the festive period can bring.

Children currently receiving benefits-related free school meals and their families can also take part in our Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) scheme for free over the Christmas break. The HAF scheme aims to provide a wide range of fun and enriching activities and nutritious food in a safe and sociable environment for children and young people to develop new skills or knowledge and try out new experiences, make friends and have fun.

District Council Household Support Schemes and Energy Relief Scheme with CAB

Help with food and utility costs is also available via the Household Support Fund, with applications being made through local district councils. The scheme, which runs until Thursday 31 March 2022, can also be used for things like emergency boiler and heating repairs and housing costs. Devon County Council has also partnered with Citizens Advice Devon to help eligible households using pre-paid meters who are struggling to meet their fuel bills. 

How to access support:

Many families in Devon have seen their financial circumstances change due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

• If you didn’t previously qualify for free school meals but your income has recently reduced or stopped, please apply online through the Devon County Council website  or call our education helpline on 0345 155 1019 to check if you are eligible for this support as soon as possible, and before Friday 17 December in order to receive the holiday vouchers for the Christmas holiday. More information about the free school meals holiday voucher scheme is available on our website.
• If you are a Devon resident, over 16 years old and struggling financially, please contact your local district council to get help with the cost of food and utilities. Visit the Household Support Fund page on our website for more information.

• If your household uses a pre-paid meters and you are struggling to meet your fuel bills, you can also contact Citizens Advice Devon.

Devon County Council funding available to help Devon’s communities reconnect, rebuild and recover from the pandemic.

Community-led facilities and activities, like many things, were quickly suspended during the onset of the national coronavirus lockdown.

As the country begins to return to some degree of normality, Devon County Council is keen to help local communities get back to doing the things they love safely and confidently, so they’ve created a special fund to support them.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said:

“We are proud that Devon is a place where people have the opportunity to live healthy, fulfilling lives in thriving, prosperous communities, and supporting our residents as we recover from the pandemic is key to ensuring this continues to be the case.

“The county has a fantastic network of community groups that work hard to support vulnerable residents and maintain people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“We’ve seen the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on our residents, we’ve witnessed the disruption across our communities. Now more than ever, as restrictions are easing, it is important that we continue to support a wide range of initiatives that do inspiring work to reach people within their communities and help them to remain well-connected and resilient as we face the challenge of recovering from this pandemic.”

The Reconnect Rebuild Recover Community Fund will provide grant funding of up to £1,000 for smaller projects and between £1,000 and £3,000 for larger projects that help local people to reconnect, rebuild and recover their community-led facilities and/or social activities.

It will support community-led initiatives that:

• encourage a range of people to participate in activities that improve their physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing
• provide safe community-led transportation links and services which encourage and help people to re-connect and re-socialise safely within their communities
• encourage people to develop skills and learning through volunteering their time, knowledge and expertise to help and support the facilities and/or social activity and the people using them

You can find out more, including how to apply, on the Devon County Council website. 

The latest updates from Devon County Council regarding support for communities during the coronavirus pandemic.