Rt. Hon Theresa May Unveils Life-Saving Community Defibrillator in Cox Green

The former Prime Minister and MP for Maidenhead, Theresa May, unveiled a new community defibrillator at the Your Co-op Food store in Cox Green on Thursday 28^th March.

Community members, colleagues and customers at the store raised more than £1,330 through various fundraising initiatives and events spearheaded by store manager Russell Chapman, whilst a further £2,000 was raised by local members of the Cox Green Village Fayre Committee, doing good together to raise vital funds to install the life-saving machine at the Maidenhead store through the Community Heartbeat Trust.

Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP for Maidenhead, said: “I am delighted to have unveiled this defibrillator and thank both the Cox Green Community and Your Co-op for making this possible. Defibrillators can be the difference between life and death, and this will be an important asset for the local community.”

Colin Tattersall, Chair for Cox Green Village Fayre Committee, said: “It has been brilliant to see residents coming together with valuable support from Russell and the Your Co-op Food team to raise money for a community-led project that will make a real difference for the local area. The defibrillator will be a vital, lifesaving asset for those living in, working and visiting our community.”

Your Co-op has been working in partnership with Community Heartbeat Trust (CHT), the UK’s leading provider of community defibrillator solutions, since 2013 and the partnership has seen the successful installation of 45 defibrillator units across its Your Co-op Food stores, with 11 installed last year alone.

With each new installation, Your Co-op provides training workshops for the local community to attend, as well as running regular free online sessions hosted by Community Heartbeat Trust with an aim to create wider awareness on how to use them. Community Heartbeat Trust also trains colleagues to check the equipment once a week to make sure the defibrillators are always rescue ready and able to save lives for many years to come.  

The training, alongside the lifesaving defibrillators, have proven to be invaluable as they were used 30 times throughout 2023.

Russell Chapman, Store Manager at Your Co-op Food, Cox Green, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to our community fundraisers and our amazing colleagues who have worked hard to raise the funds and make the installation of this lifesaving defibrillator possible.

We now also have trained members of staff on hand who will maintain the defibrillator and make sure it is ready to serve the community.”

Your Co-op Food is part of one of the largest independent UK co-operatives and is fully owned by its members. The Your Co-op family of businesses covers more than 230 Your Co-op Food stores across the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. They also trade nationally through its Your Co-op Travel, Your Co-op Childcare, Your Co-op Energy and Your Co-op Broadband and Mobile businesses.

Every time a member shops or chooses a service, they will also give back to the community – from buying a pint of milk to booking a holiday, we’re doing good together.

To join in and become a member, visit the Your Co-op Food Cox Green store or find out more on the website here.

Disclaimer: Your Co-op is owned and operated by The Midcounties Co-operative (TMC).