Defibrillators and free CPR awareness at village halls
23rd March 2026
Village Halls Week provides an important opportunity to recognise the vital role that village halls play in supporting the health and wellbeing of rural communities across Cumbria. These spaces are often at the heart of community life, and their value can be further enhanced by providing access to life-saving equipment such as public access defibrillators.
Having a community defibrillator located at a village hall ensures that potentially life-saving defibrillators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To ensure effectiveness, defibrillators should be placed in a central and accessible location, ideally on an exterior wall near the main entrance. Cabinets should be heated to maintain optimal battery and pad performance and connected to a continuous power supply, with relatively low running costs. While cabinets may be locked in higher-risk areas, an unlocked unit is preferable to allow immediate access.
Ongoing maintenance is essential. Village halls are encouraged to nominate a responsible volunteer to become a ‘guardian’ to carry out regular checks and ensure the unit remains clean, functional, and accessible at all times. In addition, all defibrillators must be registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, so they are visible to the North West Ambulance Service.
On 14 March, Megan Stephenson – North West Ambulance Service (Community Resuscitation Engagement Officer for Cumbria) attended ACT's Village Halls Week celebration event at Braithwaite Institute, helping to raise awareness of the importance of community defibrillators to all the village hall attendees in the room and online. Community access defibrillators play a crucial role in supporting both residents and visitors in rural areas by providing immediate assistance while awaiting emergency services.
Megan also highlighted Free CPR awareness sessions that are available to village halls across Cumbria. While no formal training is required to use a defibrillator, these sessions help build confidence in delivering CPR and using an AED effectively. Sessions typically last around 90 minutes and can be arranged at a convenient date and time by one of our dedicated CPR trainers.
To arrange a CPR awareness session, please contact Megan Stephenson at: megan.stephenson@nwas.nhs.uk
For more information on The Circuit national defibrillator network please visit:
Village Halls Week 2026 ran from Monday 16th to Sunday 22nd March. For more information about this annual, national celebration of village halls visit ACT's Village Halls Week web page here.