Residents in Pathfinder Village in the parish of Tedburn St Mary have celebrated the installation of a community defibrillator after months of fundraising made it possible. Central Devon MP Mel Stride was invited to attend the occasion and to officially unveil the equipment which cost around £1,500. Mel has been supporting Residents’ Association Chairman Tony Skeet in lobbying HMRC to refund the VAT on the purchase which would save the community £300.
Speaking after the event Mel said:
“In recent years dozens of communities across my constituency have benefited from the purchase of community defibrillators and I know of instances where they have been used. They are a valuable piece of life-saving equipment and have the potential to make the difference between someone surviving until an ambulance arrives or not. Local residents should be very proud of their fundraising efforts and I hope I will be successful in helping the Residents’ Association claim back their VAT which will then help fund the ongoing maintenance and service costs.”
More than a thousand residents in Central Devon live in park home communities and Mel has helped lead efforts in Westminster to strengthen their legal rights as a key contributor to the 2012 Mobile Homes Act. The legislation included greater legal protections against unjustified pitch fee increases and greater enforcement powers for local authorities when it comes to ensuring landlords properly maintain their sites.
