International life-saving consultant Barbara Broadbelt visited Newton Aycliffe this week to teach the town’s Rotarians how to give ‘the gift of life’ to people who collapse after a sudden heart attack. She was at the club to demonstrate use of defibrillator equipment now installed in several parts of the Aycliffe area. The simpleto-use machine has a proven record of saving the lives of people after a cardiac arrest. Barbara, a member of Durham Elvet Rotary Club and North East District Assistant Governor, has offered to return to the club in the near future to give further instruction to Rotary volunteers. Barbara – pictured, left, with Rtn Bob Stevenson, centre, and Rtn Barry Knevitt – was introduced by Rtn Geoff Batchelor and thanked by Rotary Club President Nora Scott. The club was recently presented with a defibrillator from a local business and members are considering keeping the defib for use in the event of an emergency at any community event they attend in the Aycliffe area. This is part of the club’s campaign to encourage more organisations, schools and businesses to install defibs not only for their use but by the general public in their vicinity. It is vital in the event of a heart attack for a defibrillator to be used on the patient within 8 minutes to save life. Newton News is compiling a list of all defibrillators in Newton Aycliffe to be published soon. Readers are requested to inform us if they have a machine available for use by the general public. Tel: 01325 300212 or email: syd@newtonnews.co.uk.