South Kesteven District Council sends defibrillators to Ukraine with Stamford-based Generate

A council is sending five defibrillators to Ukraine to help save lives.

The defibrillators are from South Kesteven District Council buildings and have reached an age where they need replacing.

They are still fully functional so are being sent to Ukraine, where a long-running conflict with Russia means that many goods and services are hard to get hold of.

Cabinet member for property, Coun Richard Cleaver (Ind) said: “The donated defibrillators are fully operational and rescue-ready, and although in this country the advice is to replace them when they reach a certain age, we didn't want to throw them away.

“This option puts them to very good use.”

The exact destination is not yet known as it may change due to developments in the military campaign.

Bernard Wood, from Generate – a Stamford-based humanitarian aid project for Ukraine – said: “Winter will be very hard for many in Ukraine so it’s an ideal time to take them out there with other donations this autumn.

“Generate is a humanitarian aid project created to raise funds and donations of hardware for the benefit of those caught in the Ukraine conflict.”

Generate was launched to attract donations of money and hardware, and has previously sent out generators and medical equipment, plus a large power-pack, small power-banks, portable camping-style burners for mobile/emergency food preparation and a range of emergency resuscitation disposables.

“The current initiative is to contact individuals, businesses and organisations that may have surplus tools and equipment, in the hope that these could be donated to our project. Generate also purchases aid inside Ukraine, with donated funds,” said Bernard.

“We have raised around £1,500 through direct donations and via GoFundMe. We've also accepted and shipped hardware donations worth another £3,500 when new, with another £3,500 worth waiting to be transported.”

To find out more about Generate and how to donate, visit www.facebook.com/groups/generate.ukraine.

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