An Ipswich charity has requested a £7,000 boost that will help install eight 24/7 defibrillators across the town. 

Ipswich Greyfriars Round Table aims to place lifesaving equipment in the south west, north west, south east, north east and central areas of Ipswich, including those at The Greyhound Pub and Gilmour Piper. 

The devices will be externally mounted to the building, making it accessible to everybody. 

The charity that applied for funding from Ipswich Borough Council said that the project intends to improve cardiac arrest survival rates in Ipswich.  

Ipswich Greyfriars Round Table was launched in 1965 and received its charity status in 2019. 

The members are a small group of men from different backgrounds who want to give something back to the local community.   

One of the group’s areas of focus is raising awareness and money for the benefit of local causes that directly impact people in Ipswich. 

The Round Table consistently raises £20,000 per year for local causes. 

One of the charity’s main fundraising projects in Ipswich is the Rudolf project, which has been running for 53 years. 

In the East of England there are about 3,600 out of hospital cardiac arrests each year, in which one in 14 people survive. 

Ipswich has 128 defibrillators, of which less than 40% are available 24/7.  

The Greyhound Pub in Ipswich has been selected as one of the places where a defibrillator would be installed based on heavy footfall in the area. 

The Gilmour Piper Healthcare practice has been selected based on its proximity to the community, both in terms of footfall, and in its notoriety. 

The installation and maintenance of one 24/7 defibrillator costs about £2,000.