Developer defibrillator donation for Stroud town

The developer behind the Cloverlea Gardens development in Kingswood, near Wotton-under-Edge, has donated funds for an on-site defibrillator.

Persimmon Homes Severn Valley presented the £1,000 cheque to Kingswood Defib Awareness Group at the sales hub for the new development, alongside local district Cllr Holly Simkiss and members of the Parish Council, Howard Moore and Jean Simmons.

The Group was successful in their application for funding from the accredited five-star house builder’s Community Champions fund. Once construction is complete, Persimmon will host the life-saving equipment on site for the benefit of the community.

The Kingswood Defib Awareness Group was established by local resident, Dr David Owen, in 2017 in an effort to reverse preventable deaths and expand the provision of easy-to-use and easy-to-access lifesaving equipment. David has subsequently installed over 70 defibrillators over a wide range of locations in the area.

The 54 homes at Cloverlea Gardens will be equipped with solar panels and electric vehicle charging points, while the development will see £218,000 and £10,600 go towards secondary education and libraries in the area, respectively, as part of the developer’s community financial contributions. Currently, three and four-bed properties are available on-site from £325,000.

Wotton-under-Edge is conveniently located on the edge of the Cotswolds, a short drive from the M5. The town’s high street offers a mix of independent shops, cafés, restaurants, and a post office. For additional retail facilities, Yate Shopping Centre and a supermarket are just over seven miles away.

Persimmon donates £700,000 each year to good causes and much-valued organisations across Britain each year as part of its Community Champions programme. Recent local recipients include Stroud Foodbank and the Nelson Trust.

Carly Spear, Persimmon Homes Severn Valley Sales Director, said “Persimmon has a proud record of funding defibs in the areas in which we develop, and we are delighted to continue that tradition with this donation in Kingswood.

“We were pleased that the local Awareness Group suggested installing this at Cloverlea Gardens, where future village residents can have confidence that there is life-saving equipment a moment away. The defib will be in place when the site is expected to complete by the end of next year.”

Dr David Owen, a Kingswood & Wotton Defib Awareness Group coordinator, added “I am extremely grateful that Persimmon responded so positively to my application for a Community Champions grant. It means that I have been able to procure another, fully funded, Community Public Access Defibrillator, awaiting installation at Cloverlea Gardens as soon as site conditions permit."

Cllr Holly Simkiss, Stroud District Councillor for Kingswood, commented “We are very grateful to the Kingswood Defib Awareness Group for securing this hugely beneficial donation from Persimmon Homes. Access to defibrillators is crucial in rural areas, so having one located in this development and within the immediate reach of the new residents is very much welcomed."

Howard Moore, Chair of Kingswood Parish Council, also said “Kingswood Parish Council gratefully welcomes the donation of £1000 from Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, supporting the great work of the Kingswood & Wotton Defib Awareness Group in giving a first aid provision which can make the all the difference saving lives with heart emergencies.”