Kington Community First Responders have received a new car thanks to a £8,000 donation from The Friends of Kington and District Care in the Community.
The Skoda Yeti vehicle cost £11,000 in total with the rest of the money being provided by the first responders.
The vehicle, which is adorned with bright emergency vehicle markings, will be invaluable in reaching patients to deliver life-saving emergency treatment, within a five mile radius of Kington and the surrounding area.
Community First Responder Chrissie Johnston recently received the car from Kington and District Care in the Community chairman Dr Malcolm Lias.
Chrissie said the first responders have been working in the area for 14 and a half years and they are called out to patients by the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
“We took advice on which vehicle would be the best for us. It is so important to have a four wheel drive vehicle in a rural area such as this.
“We are very grateful to The Friends of Kington and District Care in the Community for their generous donation, it will make a huge difference to lots of people in the area, who are in need of help.
“It has already been used to attend to patients. On average we attend one or two calls per session.”
The Friends of Kington and District Care in the Community makes grants to organisations for the advancement of health or saving of lives, and it receives money as donations, bequests and some fundraising activities.
Their funds were traditionally raised at Kington’s former surgery, the former Eardisley and New Radnor surgeries and thanks to the League of Friends at the former cottage hospital.
The group assesses applications for funds from the community, which are usually referred to them by health and care professionals. The applicants must work within the community and must operate within the National Health Service.
In the past they have purchased equipment for Kington surgery, the physiotherapy department, Kington and Weobley Leg Club, the district nurses and the podiatry team. They have also previously donated a defibrillator to the Kington First Responders.
Kington and District Care in the Community chairman Dr Malcolm Lias, said they are looking for new members for the group, which holds regular meetings to discuss applications for funding.
Anyone who would like to join the group should contact Dr Lias on (01544) 340244.