The Burnaby Arms on Stanley Street in Bedford has launched an art exhibition and fundraising programme to pay for a publicly accessible defibrillator outside the pub.
Local effort aims to bridge accessibility gap
Organisers hope to raise approximately £3,000 to purchase and install the life-saving equipment. The exhibition features work donated by members of the local community, with proceeds from sales channelled towards the device. The opening event raised £475.50, and so far 18 of the 36 pieces on display have been bought.
One of the exhibition organisers, Jake Fordham, recounted his own experience of a cardiac arrest when he was 21 and explained why having a defibrillator on the street matters.
“I suffered a cardiac arrest when I was 21, just shy of 10 years ago... They did eight rounds of shocks to me, and on the last round of shocks my heart restarted.”
Fordham highlighted the difference a defibrillator can make, noting that survival for cardiac arrests at home is low but rises markedly when a defibrillator is immediately available. He also pointed out that some nearby machines are inside buildings that are often closed outside working hours, limiting access when they are most needed.
What’s on and how to help
The exhibition runs at the pub until 6 September. Additional fundraising activities are planned, including a raffle and a jumble trail on 29 August. Members of the public can support the appeal by attending the exhibition, buying artwork, entering the raffle or taking part in the jumble trail.
- Target: £3,000 for an external defibrillator
- Opening event raised: £475.50
- Artwork sold: 18 of 36 pieces
- Exhibition open until: 6 September
- Jumble trail fundraiser: 29 August
Having a defibrillator located where it can be reached outside normal hours is considered important by the organisers. The presence of a publicly accessible device on a well-used street like Stanley Street would mean quicker access in an emergency and could materially improve survival chances for people suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fundraising target | £3,000 |
| Raised at opening | £475.50 |
| Art sold | 18 of 36 pieces |
| Exhibition ends | 6 September |
For people in Bedford who wish to support the initiative, visiting the Burnaby Arms during opening hours is the most direct way to see the exhibition and contribute. Further details of raffle tickets and the jumble trail arrangements are available from the pub.
This local campaign is a reminder of the difference community fundraising can make to public health provision at neighbourhood level and the role that small organisations can play in improving emergency response capacity.
