GIRL Guides in Faringdon made history to install the town’s first defibrillator.

Faringdon Girlguiding District, featuring two Rainbow units, three Brownie units and two Guide units recently unveiled the £1,500 device at Budgens car park in the town.

The idea for the new defibrillator came after Guider Alison Lees had attended a first aid training course and was inspired to install the town’s first life-saving device.

Guider Keeley Bond, who has volunteered at the district for 25 years, then got in touch with voluntary community first responder at South Central Ambulance Service Malcolm Gee.

Mrs Bond, who is married with two daughters, said: “Two of our leaders had been on a first aid training course and said a defibrillator would be an amazing idea. They realised if you do CPR it helps but if you have a defibrillator it is what can bring someone back and we thought it was something that the Guides could do to benefit the community.”

According to the 49-year-old, the money was raised through cake sales, a sponsored skipping event and a bag collection exercise at the local Tesco.

The installation costs, including for an electrician to put it in, were funded by Faringdon Area Projects.

Voluntary community first responder at South Central Ambulance Service Malcolm Gee said the instillation was symbolic of the raised awareness of first aid around Oxfordshire.

He said: “They are helping people realise if you can get to that equipment and do CPR in good time you are in a better position to save a life.”

The Faringdon defibrillator follows an Oxford Mail-supported campaign that saw 200 defibrillators installed across Oxfordshire, bringing the total to around 320 with a target of 500 by the end of the year.