What happened to life-saving Biggleswade defibrillator equipment?

The life-saving device was installed in June 2018 after funding was provided from Biggleswade Carnival Committee to help the community.

However, in April, it was noticed that the Century House defibrillator’s paddles were gone, with the authorities unable to establish whether they were taken in an emergency or vandalised.

Councillor Michael North, of Biggleswade Town Council, said: “The way it is supposed to work is that you dial 999 and the ambulance service gives the caller a code number to 
release it [the case]. Without the code you can’t get into it.

“I don’t think it [the case] is damaged. It’s just a mystery.”

The booklet has also been taken, suggesting the paddles could have been deployed in an emergency, although a town council spokeswoman said that a malicious 999 call could not be ruled out.

However, help has come from the old Biggleswade Carnival committee, which has agreed to cover the full cost of the defibrillator at £1,224.

Kathy Sheppard, committee spokeswoman, said: “We had a bit of money that we were going to spend on something for the town, but [until now] we hadn’t quite decided.

“This will help people and keep them safe. We made the money by running the carnival in Biggleswade and we want to give something back to the community. It is disappointing that the defibrillator has gone and it needs replacing as soon as possible.”

Hazel Clarke, chairperson of the new Biggleswade Community Carnival committee, told the Chronicle: “ The old committee stepped down last December when the new committee took full control of the Biggleswade Community Carnival at the end of 2019 (the name has changed for legal reasons).

“The previous committees have worked hard to raise hundreds of thousands for local causes over their 50-plus year reign, including purchasing the defibrillator.

“Both the old and new carnival committee will be liaising with the council to ensure the missing items from the machine are paid for and replaced from the carnival pot to ensure that this vital resource is sufficiently maintained.

“Although both the old and new committee are exceptionally disappointed that even after many months of careful location consideration - so that it was covered by CCTV - it has still managed to be vandalised [or lost]. Everyone that has ever been involved with the carnival past or present has only ever wanted to make our community a safer and better place.”

Before the news of the old committee’s generous donation, Central Bedfordshire Councillor Hayley Whitaker, of Biggleswade South, also told the Chronicle that she was happy to offer a community grant to help replace it.

Cllr Whitaker added: “It was in a great location in the centre of town, right near the pubs and shops.

“It seems unlikely that it’s been stolen. If it helped someone then great but it’s really important to replace it, especially as the town centre is now gradually becoming busier.”

A Biggleswade Town Council spokeswoman, said: “We first started talking to the carnival committee about a defibrillator on January 5, 2017, they subsequently donated it to the town, with the help of the people of Biggleswade.

“It was fitted by Fleming Electrical on June 20, 2018 and went live with the Community Heartbeat Trust on June 26, 2018. We noticed that the paddles were missing on April 2, 2020, although the case remains.

“Despite an extensive search by the ambulance service the paddles have not turned up. We have now decided to replace the whole thing and have raised an order for it at a cost of £950.

“We feel that this is a vital piece of kit for the town, particularly at a time like this. This is, we believe, the only defibrillator accessible to the public 24/7 in the town centre, although we do have one at our Community Centre at Kings Reach.

“If anybody does have any information about the missing paddles please do contact the Town Council on 01767 313134.”

The spokeswoman added that the Town Council was “over the moon” with the generous donation from the old carnival committee.