Shropshire golf club hailed as 'Restart a Heart Hero' for creative defibrillator solution

Church Stretton Golf Club has been praised as a 'Restart a Heart Hero' for adopting a groundbreaking solar and wind-powered defibrillator cabinet, ensuring life-saving equipment is available even in remote locations.

The national day raises crucial awareness of cardiac arrest and encourages the public to learn CPR. The club's innovative solution addresses a major hurdle for remote sites: the need for a constant electricity supply to keep Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius. This essential temperature is required to prevent battery failure and pad degradation, ensuring the device is always 'rescue ready'.

A Bespoke Solution for National Trust Land

Perched on National Trust land, the golf club faced stringent rules regarding aesthetics and had no suitable location with an existing power supply out on its course. Undeterred, the club collaborated with Turtle Medical, the innovator behind the first off-grid defib solution.

While Turtle Medical's stand-alone cabinets—featuring two solar panels and a turbine designed to withstand and harness strong gales—can typically be bolted onto any solid surface, Church Stretton required a more tailored approach. A bespoke solution was designed, cleverly integrating the solar and wind-powered cabinet into an existing shelter used by golfers and walkers.

Closing the Care Gap

The need for accessible defibrillators is urgent. Every second counts during a cardiac arrest; a person’s chance of survival drops by up to 10 per cent for every minute that passes without defibrillation. Research supported by the British Heart Foundation shows that in the most disadvantaged areas, the nearest 24/7 accessible defibrillator is, on average, a round trip of over a mile (1.8km), a distance that can increase significantly in rural settings.

Until last year, there was no viable option for golf courses and other power-free, remote locations. Church Stretton Golf Club is an early adopter of Turtle Medical's innovation, which could save lives in countless hard-to-reach spots.

Mike Dowson, the engineer behind the unique cabinet, commended the club’s proactive stance. “It’s important for our Restart a Heart Heroes like Church Stretton Golf Club to be celebrated. They were not satisfied to leave people at risk... and they will inspire other similar destinations without electrical connection," he said.

“We spent two years undertaking research... because we knew there were too many villages, communities and leisure destinations where people were in a vulnerable position if they were to suffer a cardiac arrest. Shropshire is leading the way and there is an opportunity for many people to feel more protected, whether in their home, out walking or enjoying a round of golf.”

The club is being applauded by Turtle Medical for its determination to protect people and help increase out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates, embracing a creative approach to effectively close the care gap.

The Restart a Heart Day initiative is led by Resuscitation Council UK and supported by leading organisations including the British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, St John Ambulance, and the NHS.