The kindness of an Angus family following the tragic loss of their husband and father has seen the installation of a new defibrillator for the coastal village of Inverkeilor.
John Cobb’s loved ones have paid for the lifesaving piece of kit from a funeral collection following the 60-year-old’s death at the end of 2019.
It is the first public access defib in the village, between Arbroath and Montrose.
John’s wife, Amber, hopes locals will now take up the opportunity to learn how to use the machine.
John had lived his life with a heart issue and Amber herself went through defibrillator training with St John Scotland.
“John was born with two heart defects,” said Amber, 50.
“I did the course a year before, just in case I had to use a defibrillator on him.”
Sadly, the fabricator/welder took ill in December 2019.
John was initially taken to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit in Newcastle, but died there on December 13.
The popular Montrose man’s Hogmanay funeral saw more than £1,200 collected.
St John Scotland
Amber, along with daughters Heather and Morag, agreed the money should be given to St John Scotland to expand the number of public access defibrillators in Angus and Dundee.
“It was just something we thought would be a good idea to do,” said Amber.
“Melanie Cargill of St John Scotland had helped with my course so we spoke to her and we looked at different places where it might go.
“She asked if we would be happy for it to be put in Inverkeilor and of course we said yes.”
The defib has been located at the 2nd Chance tearoom and will be available 24 hours a day.
It is linked to the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Following a 999 call, if a defibrillator is required the call handler will advise where it is and appropriate support will be given.
The tearoom is to host defibrillator familiarisation sessions for people interested in finding out more about how to use the lifesaving equipment.
They will be advertised through the 2nd Chance Facebook page.
Also at the Inverkeilor handover was Hazel Spence, wife of the late Bill Spence who was the driving force behind the PAD project in Angus and Dundee.
A former Tayside Chief Constable, Mr Spence also founded the Order of St John’s first team of emergency First Responders in Angus.
In 2016, Mr Spence, who died last year, was invested as a Knight of the Order of St John.