Durham children celebrate creative defibrillator artwork

Mary Kelly Foy, MP for the City of Durham, joined the winners of a competition aimed at raising awareness of the vital medical devices, which can restart a person’s heart in an emergency.

The competition was organised by Tom Sharples, a resident and organiser of the One Life campaign, and tasked primary school pupils with designing eye-catching defibrillator covers to promote visibility and community awareness.

Winning designs came from Skye at Brandon Primary Academy and Matilda at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Langley Moor.

Ms Foy said: “I am so incredibly proud of Skye and Matilda for their wonderful designs.

“Defibrillators are absolutely vital pieces of kit that save lives in our communities every single day, but they need to be highly visible so people can find them in an emergency.

“Their bright and bold designs will certainly make sure that these two units will stand out from the crowd, and of course, in Brandon, we now have two totally unique defibrillators.”

Ms Foy congratulated the winners during a visit on Friday, May 15, joined by school staff, Mr Sharples, and the One Life campaign mascots, Casey and Sparky.

Mary Kelly Foy MP with local residents, the team from the Lord Boyne pub, Casey, Sparky and children from St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School (Image: Office of Mary Kelly Foy MP)

The two decorated defibrillators are now installed at the Beech Park Convenience Store in Brandon and the Lord Boyne pub in Langley Moor.

They form part of a network of 13 defibrillators installed across the Brandon area through the efforts of the One Life campaign.

Mr Sharples said: “Engaging young people in their communities at an early age is one of the most powerful ways to foster pride, responsibility, and a lasting sense of belonging.

“The aim of this design competition goes beyond raising awareness of these life-saving devices; it is about giving children a sense of ownership and pride in the places where they live.

“I’m so pleased for both Skye and Matilda that their designs are now proudly displayed in our community.”

Ms Foy also thanked the hosts of the defibrillator units, as well as everyone involved in the competition and wider campaign.