A lifesaving device has been installed in Newlyn after a member of the local rowing club had a heart attack.

The Cape Cornwall Pilot Gig Club has installed a defibrillator at the Fisherman’s Arms after member David Sheppard had a heart attack at sea whilst rowing near St Michael’s Mount in 2022.

His fellow rowers, assisted by retired GP Dr Simon Dean, gave David CPR on the gig at sea before getting him on dry land, when a defibrillator was used by the ambulance service.

The rowing club began crowdfunding for a defibrillator after the incident and joined forces with St Austell Brewery to co-fund the new equipment.

They worked with the Ronnie Richards Memorial Charity and identified the Fisherman’s Arms as the best place to mount the defibrillator, with the additional funding coming from St Austell Brewery’s Charitable Trust.

David Sheppard with the new defibrillator ( )

David, who has made a full recovery and is back to rowing, said: “We’re so pleased to have funded the defibrillator. 

“People have a much better chance of survival with access to defibrillators. It gives people a higher chance of staying alive until the emergency services arrive.

“I’ve been rowing since about 2018. It’s such a wonderful experience, I was smitten with it as soon as I started. After my incident, I couldn’t wait to get back on the water.”

Fishermans Arms defibrillator ( )

The defibrillator installed at the Fisherman’s Arms is latest in a series of defibrillators which have been installed since St Austell Brewery launched its Heart of the Community campaign last year. 

Co-founders Paul and Liz Williams set up the charity in memory of Liz’s brother Ronnie who sadly died from sudden cardiac arrest whilst playing his beloved game of football at Penzance Leisure Centre.

Piers Thompson from St Austell said: “The efforts that the Cape Cornwall Gig Club went to, to keep David alive on the water, and their subsequent fundraising to fund part of this defibrillator shows how strong our communities are in working together to ensure everyone in the South West, whether living here or visiting, has the best chance of surviving a cardiac arrest should the worst happen.”