THE team behind a local building materials firm which boosted Mauchline with a new defibrillator has said they were keen to get involved in East Ayrshire Council's life-saving scheme.

The project, devised by the council’s health and safety service and procurement, encourages local contractors to donate vital equipment for distribution within the communities where they are undertaking work.

PDM, part Huws Gray Group in Kilmarnock, donated the machine to be fitted at Mauchline Football Club, as reported by the Chronicle back in July.

East Ayrshire Council works with its contractors and suppliers who cover the cost of a defibrillator, and the aim is to have supported every local group who could benefit from having a defibrillator by 2026.

Commenting on the donation, William Cowan from PDM said: “The difference a defibrillator can have in an emergency cannot be underestimated, so when we heard that Mauchline Football Club could benefit from having one at the clubhouse at Beechgrove Park, we were happy to make this happen.

“We are a supplier to East Ayrshire Council, and as part of our contractual agreement with them we’re required to provide local community benefits.

"This mirrors our own corporate commitment to supporting the communities where we operate, and we look forward to seeing other businesses support the further rollout of this life-saving equipment.”

Applications are welcomed from any community groups and clubs based in East Ayrshire who would like to benefit from this equipment.

Further details on how the initiative works and how to apply can be found on the East Ayrshire Council website including a fill list of locations of current defibrillators in East Ayrshire, how to register your defibrillator and information on how to use and maintain the equipment.