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3 March 10 Heart machine for pub at heart of community Open
Heart machine for pub at heart of community
Many pubs claim to be at the heart of their local community, but The Chequers Inn, a Brakspear pub in Fingest, Buckinghamshire, could one day be restoring local heartbeats, thanks to the defibrillator recently installed on the side of the pub.
The defibrillator, which can help to save the lives of heart attack victims, was bought by the local Parish Council. The Chequers was the obvious place to site it, as tenant Ray Connelly explains, "There's no village hall in Fingest so the pub has become the hub of the community and we're happy to have the defibrillator here. Thankfully, we've not had to use it yet but everyone knows it's here and we test it every week to make sure it's working properly."
Ray and co-tenant Christian Taubert have made themselves indispensable to the residents of Fingest since moving to the Chequers over five years ago. They hold spare keys and alarm codes for half the village, carry out shopping for housebound neighbours and take in parcels. The parish church uses the pub as a village hall, holding events such as the Maundy Thursday procession and Harvest Festival in its back room. Ray and Christian are also heavily involved with the local Stokenchurch Dog Rescue, which they have made the pub's chosen charity.
Their contribution to the life of Fingest won Ray & Christian the title of 'Community Pub of the Year' in the Brakspear Annual Awards 2009.
Pictured right: Ray Connelly with the defibrillator installed at The Chequers, Fingest
