Defibrillator for animal sanctuary in son's memory

A family-run charity has installed a defibrillator at an animal sanctuary in memory of their animal-loving son, who died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 18.

Jamie Rees, from Wolvey in Warwickshire, collapsed and later died on New Year's Day in 2022. There was a defibrillator near the scene, but his friends soon realised it was locked inside a school, so they were unable to access it.

Since then, the OurJay Foundation was set up by Jamie's family to fundraise and install defibrillators across Rugby, Warwickshire, and even further afield.

This week, the charity installed a community defibrillator at the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, on Oaston Road in Nuneaton.

Jamie's mother and the chair of the OurJay Foundation, Naomi Rees-Issitt, said she was thrilled to be able to combine the ability to help people with helping animals through the installation of the defibrillator at the sanctuary.

Mrs Rees-Issitt said: "One of Jamie's biggest passions and loves when he was with us was animals.

"He loved foxes - we used to live in a village, and he walked the lanes to try and see foxes.

"He had a passion for any animal. He used to rescue them. If he ever saw one in distress, he'd be the first to pull over and try to help."

When visiting the sanctuary for the installation, Mrs Rees-Issitt told her husband: "It's somewhere Jamie would have absolutely loved to visit."

Geoff Grewcock runs the sanctuary with his daughter, Emma Hudson.

He said: "It is fantastic that two charities with saving lives at the heart of them can come together to provide something so crucial for the community.

"The process is simple. If the equipment is needed, just call 999 and read them the location on the box, and they will issue a code and instructions.

"Everyone in the town knows where the sanctuary is, so it couldn't be easier for people to access in the event of an emergency."

"It was an absolute joy to work with Geoff and Emma," Mrs Rees-Issitt said.

"We absolutely love to work with other charities. A lot wouldn't be able to afford to buy a defibrillator."

So far, the OurJay Foundation has installed 259 defibrillators that are accessible to the community 24/7, alongside 60 in Snap Fitness gyms and 61 portable pitch-side defibrillators at sports clubs.

Mrs Rees-Issitt said that so far, they were aware of 16 lives that had been saved through their defibrillators, as well as one life saved through one of their bleed kits, which are kept alongside the defibrillators, after a stabbing in Coventry.

On one occasion, she received a bouquet of flowers from a woman who said the defibrillator had saved her mum's life.

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