Springhead community defibrillator is now available to all
A new defibrillator has been installed in Springhead, Oldham, thanks to a collaborative effort involving the Spinners Arms pub, Saddleworth Round Table, local councillors, and community groups. The device is available 24/7 and will be accompanied by a CPR and defibrillator awareness session on March 5.
Springhead’s Spinners Arms pub now houses a life-saving defibrillator after a community fundraising drive united local councillors, pub patrons and civic groups to install the emergency device.
The project began in 2023 when two local paramedics launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for their village pub. Their social media appeal caught the attention of Liberal Democrat Councillor Alicia Marland, who joined forces with Conservative Councillor Garth Harkness to secure additional funding.
“This is now the fifth device we have supported directly in Oldham,” said Ryan Smith of Saddleworth Round Table, which contributed to the fund. The organisation’s community events financed their portion, while landlord Mick Wilkin secured a grant covering half the machine’s cost. The Scouthead and Austerlands Residents group also pitched in, with Cllr Harkness using his councillor budget to cover the remaining amount.
The defibrillator sits outside the Spinners Arms, available 24/7 to the public. A CPR and defibrillator awareness session takes place at the pub on Wednesday, March 5, led by paramedic Gareth, one of the original campaigners. The device joins four other publicly accessible AEDs in the area at Old Mill House, Springhead Community Centre, Cooper Street and the Three Crowns in Austerlands.
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