Ten Scottish Men’s Sheds receive life-saving kit through charity partnership

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has partnered up with Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider, St Andrew’s First Aid, to provide free Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds.

The SMSA put a call out to the 190+ Men’s Sheds across Scotland inviting them to apply for the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and received 44 applications showing a huge demand for this vital equipment (retailed at just over £1,500) to be located at Shed premises across Scotland.

The ten recipients will use the equipment to not only protect their members but – with the addition of an outdoor cabinet purchased by the Shed – will also make them accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock. Chris Jowsey, Treasurer of Glenkens Men’s Shed, said: “One of our members had a cardiac arrest whilst at the Shed and sadly passed away despite the prompt actions of his fellow Shedders to get medical assistance. We can’t help but wonder if we’d had a defibrillator that day, if the outcome might have been different. 

“We are delighted to have received this defibrillator through the SMSA and St Andrews First Aid and to be able to make it accessible to our entire community.”

Tom Bennett of Springburn Park Men’s Shed said: “We have been trying to raise funds for a defibrillator for over two years for our Shed located within a public park in our village. We are thrilled to accept and maintain this defibrillator and make it accessible to our members, other community groups, park users and the general public.”

Brian Kerr, Secretary of Dumfries Men`s Shed, said: “We are very pleased to have been one of the ten Sheds selected to receive one of the defibrillator units. We really appreciate it, and being in larger premises with new members already joining, it is re-assuring to know that in the unfortunate event that it is needed, we could possibly save someone`s life with this kit. It doesn’t get any more serious than life and death and we are very grateful to both the SMSA and St Andrews First Aid for their donation.”

Jim Dorman, Director of Campaigns and Public Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Knowing that these vital pieces of equipment will be available to both members of the ten Sheds and to the wider communities will hopefully bring considerable peace of mind. With every minute that passes following a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by 10%. Swift use of a defibrillator is all the difference needed to significantly increase a person’s chance of survival. We are delighted to donate these defibrillators to help more communities save lives.”    

The successful Men’s Sheds across Scotland are: Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed; Forfar and District Men’s Shed; Glenkens Men’s Shed; Inverurie & District Men’s Shed; Macmerry Men’s Shed; Mens Shed Dumfries; Pentlands Men’s Shed; Peterhead & District Men’s Shed; Springburn Park Men’s Shed; and Whale Firth Men’s Shed.

Ten FREE defibrillators up for grabs for Scottish Men’s Sheds

PLEASE NOTE: THIS OPPORTUNITY HAS ENDED

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is working in partnership with St Andrew’s First Aid to offer FREE Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.

St Andrew’s First Aid is Scotland’s dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider and the Association is delighted to be teaming up to provide this life-saving kit to Sheds to not only protect Shedders but also the wider community. 

The HeartSine Samaritan PAD 500P Fully Automatic Defibrillator (RRP: £1,557.60 inc. VAT)

  • Ready to Shock: Small, portable and lightweight (2.4 lbs) and offers the highest level of protection against dust and water.
  • Easy-to-Follow Instructions: Easy-to-understand visual and voice prompts guide the rescuer through the entire resuscitation process, including CPR—a key link in the chain of survival. 
  • Simple, two-button operation – an ON/OFF button and SHOCK.
  • After analyzing heart rhythm, the unit will automatically deliver a shock (if needed), eliminating the need for the rescuer to push a shock button.
  • Always Ready: A System Status Ready Indicator flashes to show that the complete system is operational and ready for use.
  • Self-check: The device automatically runs a self-check each week.

Conditions

  • The AED’s are being offered FREE OF CHARGE to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds however, as they are not new, they will require new pads/electrode batteries (which will last for four years) at a cost to each individual Shed of £117.60.  
  • St Andrews First Aid advise that these defibrillators are accessible to the public 24/7 outdoors and are placed in cabinets (available at a discounted cost of £540 inc.VAT for Sheds through St Andrew’s First Aid), however, if this is not possible, they are still happy to donate them to Scottish Sheds.
  • Interested Sheds will pay a delivery charge for the equipment.

Request for SMSA Pathfindr Safe Distancing Assistants

***PLEASE NOTE: THIS FUND IS NOW CLOSED***

The SMSA has been trialing the Pathfindr Safe Distancing Assistants in ten Scottish Men’s Sheds – made possible with funding from its partnership with the Scottish Community Alliance. Due to the success of this trial, the Association has now received full supported funding from The Scottish Government to roll this out to other interested Sheds across Scotland.

Moffat Men’s Shed demonstrates Pathfindr devices

Check out Moffat Men’s Shed’s video demonstrating the Pathfindr Safe Distancing Assistants in action at their workshop.

The clip (filmed before the second lockdown) shows this simple piece of kit – available for free to SMSA Shed Members – being used to assist with training and awareness of social distancing.

The device which can be worn around the neck or clipped on to clothing emits a short audible or vibrating alert when another wearer is detected within 2 metres, advising both wearers to check and increase their distance.

The range can be changed from its pre-configured 2m, as a result of revisions to the legislation. This effective piece of technology has no complicated set up, no software to install and no training.

If your Shed would like to request some devices from the SMSA for use when lockdown measures ease, please complete this short online form.

Kinross & District Men’s Shed 3D Prints Face Shields For Key Workers

Kinross & District Men’s Shed (KDMS) is producing face shields to protect key workers on the front line during the Coronavirus pandemic.
 
This vital piece of kit provides a barrier to stop workers from touching their face and also protection from the patient if they cough or sneeze.
 

KDMS is using 3D printers to make the Polylactic Acid (PLA) face shields and requests are coming in at a tremendous rate from the community.  KDMS Chairman, David Conner, said: “KDMS wanted to help and one of our Shedders, Jim Forbes, started working in his shed at home to come up with a solution to meet the demand for this life-saving protective equipment.  The Shedders have really stepped up and there is a team of around 12-15 of us involved in taking and recording orders, administration, printing, assembly, quality checks and delivery.  More and more Shedders are becoming involved each day to lend a helping hand to this cause.
 
“Orders are coming in thick and fast from NHS workers, carers, testing hubs, postal workers and shop workers across Ayrshire, Perthshire, Fife, Forth Valley and Clackmannanshire.  We had to set up a business model quickly and efficiently to get this right.  Everything is done safely from our homes and we communicate through phone and video calls.  We have fulfilled over 100 orders so far and now have an order for 100 more.  We have been receiving photographs and video calls from the key workers when they have received their face shields and it makes everything that we are doing worthwhile.”
 
Jim Forbes, 81, said: “I had a vision to do this and researched face shields online and came up with a quality product – quick to produce, washable/reusable and light –  consisting of four simple parts: the shield’s top frame; standard A4 acetate sheet protector screen; bottom support; and elastic to keep the shield firmly on the face.  An advantage of the design is the bridge between the forehead and the face plate which greatly reduces breath aerosol mist (possibly infected) from entering the users’ eyes.  This 3D printed version needs no tools to assemble except for a pair of scissors to trim the face plate.  For Shedders with no access to a 3D printer, we also developed a second product where no tools are required other than scissors.  

“Every single item is checked and the shield comes with an instruction leaflet for the end user.  We initially had our one Shed 3D printer and my machine but now Culture Perth & Kinross has dedicated their five printers bringing us up to seven solely dedicated to this task.  A local lady in Powmill who has been printing hundreds of shields has also bought herself another one and offered that second printer to help us if she has any free space.  We are now able to produce an output of 40-50 shields per day. When it comes to delivery, there is obviously no contact.  The order is simply placed in our gardens when we are notified that the person is on their way to collect.”

Shedders have been creating the products at home but are running low on supplies and have set up a Go Fund Me page to pay for much-needed supplies.  The Shed has already raised over £2,000 towards materials to date.

KDMS has created assembly instructions, spreadsheets, instruction leaflet and 3D Printer files (STL files and G-codes) – now available in the SMSA members’ online resource library (log-in required) – that it is happy to share with other Sheds interested in becoming involved to help with their orders or wishing to replicate the model in their local area.  Interested Sheds are urged to contact David Conner, Chairman of KDMS.