College teams up with Balfour Beatty to present life-saving defibrillator to community group

In a gesture of support for the local community, New City College teamed up with Balfour Beatty to present the Ardleigh Green Family Centre in Hornchurch with a life-saving portable defibrillator.

The presentation was made by Balfour Beatty’s Safety, Environment and Sustainability (HSES) Manager, David Rhodes, to John Morris OBE, Executive Headteacher of the Ardleigh Green Learning Federation.

The donation will enhance safety and provide vital support to members of the community needing medical attention in an emergency.

Lauren Edmunds, who sits on the Havering Local Board at New City College and is Balfour Beatty’s Social Impact Advisor for the Lower Thames Crossing said: “We wanted to support the college and the local community with a donation that would make a difference. When we approached Ian Budge, the Deputy Principal at the college’s Ardleigh Green campus, he suggested the Family Centre just across the road from the college, would really benefit from a defibrillator, so that local people could feel reassured there was one nearby if needed.”

On receiving the defibrillator, John Morris said: “Our Family Centre is at the heart of the Ardleigh Green Community. Situated opposite New City College I can think of no better place to locate this life-saving technology. Whilst I hope and pray that we never have to use it, it is so reassuring to know that a defibrillator is always available to our community.

“Thank you to Balfour Beatty for your generous donation and for providing such a valuable resource for parents, students and children.”

The Family Centre, in Ardleigh Green Road, was established in September 2009 when the college, the Baptist Church and the Ardleigh Green Infant and Junior Schools came together to create a hub for the community.

It is now a registered charity, attracting over 400 people on a weekly basis, and provides a wide range of functions, such as support and advice for vulnerable families, foodbank vouchers, a hardship fund for those in crisis, bereavement support, adoption advice, a baby club and a sensory group for children with additional needs.

Balfour Beatty, a leading international infrastructure group, have recently been awarded the delivery of the construction of the roads north of the Thames contract on the Lower Thames Crossing Project and will be delivering the works across Thurrock, Havering and Brentwood.

The company’s Highways Project Director, Iain Sutherland, said: “Balfour Beatty are committed to supporting our local communities prior and throughout the construction of the Lower Thames Crossing with £300m of local economic benefits to ensure that we leave a lasting legacy and minimise the impacts of construction.

“We were pleased that we were able to support the community by donating this life saving equipment and we look forward to continuing to support the college and the wider community in the future.”

The portable defibrillator will be easily accessible. In the event of sudden cardiac arrest, it can provide vital assistance by delivering an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat.

Staff and volunteers at the Family Centre will receive training in the use of the defibrillator, ultimately creating a safer and more resilient community.

Pictured above are: Ardleigh Green campus Deputy Principal Ian Budge, Lauren Edmunds, Balfour Beatty’s David Rhodes and John Morris OBE.

There is a wide variety of courses for all ages to study at our Ardleigh Green campus. Find out more here!