Alongside the British Coatings Federation (BCF), we are proud supporters of the Minutes Matter campaign and the fantastic work the Community Heartbeat Trust does, helping local organisations install defibrillators in local telephone kiosks.
“Community Heartbeat Trust and BT have been working together with rural communities to turn disused telephone boxes into Community Public Access Defibrillator sites or cPADs. The British Coatings Federation’s paint manufacturer members have stepped in to help preserve these iconic structures in communities, by arranging the donation of free paint and undercoat for renovation. Through this joint venture we hope to not only help save the lives of the 30,000 people who suffer cardiac arrest every year but to also preserve a part of our British heritage and culture, that is so well represented by the good old fashioned red telephone box.” Minutes Matter
Indestructible Paint donate coatings to renovate 16 iconic red phone boxes before they are turned into defibrillator kiosks around the UK.
Where Minutes Matter Began and How Indestructible Paint Have Supported the Campaign
In 2012, the BCF partnered with BT and the Community HeartBeat Trust in a nationwide scheme to install life-saving defibrillators in rural phone boxes.
Long Wittenham in Oxfordshire was the first village in the UK to have its red phone box refurbished under the scheme, courtesy of free paint from British Coatings Federation member HMG Paints. The local Parish Council took advantage of BT’s ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme and adopted their iconic red phone box for just £1. With 50% funding from the Parish Council and 50% raised from villagers, it took no time at all to raise the £2,000 necessary to install the defibrillator, which can deliver vital medical treatment in the first crucial minutes following a cardiac arrest.
Richard Schofield, of Community HeartBeat Trust, who had the original idea behind the scheme, said: “There are thousands of phone boxes in rural locations throughout the UK, and many of them are sitting idle. Over the next five years, we’re aiming to encourage the UK’s rural communities to install a defibrillator in their local phone box, with the aim to create a national network of two and half thousand defibrillators.”
Following a cardiac arrest the chances of survival drop dramatically every minute. The UK Resuscitation Council recommends that a defibrillator should be available when medical treatment is more than five minutes away, which would include most rural locations in the UK.
Inside the phone box, in place of the telephone unit, the defibrillator is housed in a lockable steel box. When someone calls 999, they will be told there is a defibrillator in the local phone box, and will be given the code to open the box. Once the electrode pads are attached to a casualty, the defibrillator will identify if a ‘shock’ is needed and will instruct the rescuer using step-by-step voice instructions.
The British Coatings Federation’s members will provide a paint system of undercoat and traditional red topcoat (worth £75) to every local community that installs a defibrillator in their phone box. Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of the British Coatings Federation said: “We are so proud to be involved in this ground-breaking scheme in partnership with BT and the Community HeartBeat Trust. Together we will continue to encourage local communities to make a difference to the emergency service response provided to rural parts of the country.”
As a BCF Member, Indestructible Paint provided free paint to renovate 16 of the phone boxes prior to conversion to a defibrillator.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supplying the paint to give these repurposed telephone boxes a top-grade finish. In particular, thank you for providing the paint for 16 phone boxes. We are extremely grateful for all our members who have supported this initiative and have enabled over 650 kiosks to be refurbished.” Evie Luxton, British Coating Federation
BT have taken on board the cost of maintaining the electricity supply to the phone boxes, so the equipment will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mark Johnson, Head of the Street Payphone Business at BT said: “We launched the Adopt a Kiosk scheme because the red telephone box is a significant part of our national heritage. We’re pleased to support this worthwhile project that will not only help to continue the legacy of the red kiosk, but crucially will provide local communities with such a beneficial and lifesaving function.”
