COUNCILLOR Liam Lyons will be running the Surrey Half Marathon to raise money to install a public defibrillator at Woking United Reformed Church.

The defibrillator, positioned on an external wall of the church on White Rose Lane, will provide a potentially life-saving piece of kit to passers-by.

Cllr Lyons, who represents Mount Hermon on Woking Borough Council, will be running the 13-mile course on Sunday 8 March and is hoping to raise enough money through sponsorship to cover the estimated cost of £1,300 to buy and install the defibrillator.

This is not the first time he has run a half marathon and he’s hoping to complete the course in under two hours.

Cllr Lyons said: “I’ve been inspired to run for this cause after a member of the congregation had the vision to make a defibrillator available at Woking URC.

“It will be helpful to both users of the church and those in the wider community. I’ve been trained to use one before and it’s relatively easy.

“Anyone can simply follow the instructions on the unit. Public defibrillators have saved a number of lives in the past.”

There are more than 30,000 cardiac arrests in Britain every year outside a medical environment every year.

Access to a defibrillator significantly increases the chances of survival of someone who has had a cardiac arrest.

To support Councillor Lyons' run visit: www.justgiving.com/defib4wokingurc

For the full story get the 20 February edition of the News & Mail