Northern Ireland construction firm GRAHAM has donated a defibrillator to the business to coincide with 'Restart a Heart Day'.
The contractor's Project Manager, Gareth Dale, and Site Manager, Stephen Sharpe, presented the device to Jo Daykin-Goodall, Director of Services at The Welcome Organisation, last month.
The defibrillator, which gives a high energy shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest, will be transported in a specialist Street Outreach Vehicle where it can be deployed to provide critical interventions to homeless people and rough sleepers.
Speaking about the investment, GRAHAM Regional Community Benefits Adviser, Attracta Mathews, explained: "GRAHAM is undertaking a number of high-profile projects within Belfast, and as our operatives go about their work and travel to and from site they are interfacing with rough sleepers and seeing first-hand the very real issues associated with homelessness. There was a determination to make a difference, and that is why we reached out to The Welcome Organisation. It is doing amazing work in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We are proud to have made the donation of the defibrillator which we hope will make a real difference."
-- Advertisement --
Jo Daykin-Goodall, Director of Services at The Welcome Organisation, added: "We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone at GRAHAM for the amazing donation of a defibrillator. The defibrillator will have a real and positive impact on our work and, in turn, on the lives of the people we help. It will be kept in our Street Outreach Vehicle and will provide potentially life-saving interventions to people who are homeless.
"We couldn't deliver the level of support we do for people affected by homelessness in Belfast if it wasn't for the support of people like Gareth Dale, Stephen Sharpe and everyone at GRAHAM."
The Welcome Organisation estimates that there has been a 35% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Belfast during 2018/2019 compared to 2017/2018.
(CM/JG)
