Heart defibrillator for White Hart

Henfield White Hart landlord Gyles Culver receives a heart defibrillator for the pub from HART responders, Sandra Parsons, Martin Tooth and Claire Greenfield. Pic by Mike Beardall, Oakfield Media

The wall-mounted machine is available for emergencies - and staff are receiving training in its use.

“We have long been supporters of HART,” says Gyles. “We have a quiz every other Tuesday to help raise funds for them and it has become increasingly important for us to have a defibrillator that is available on the High Street and in the case of emergencies here.”

HART has almost 30 defibrillators in the village, many in public access areas or with volunteer responders who are called in response to 999 calls to the ambulance service.

Many lives have been saved by some of the 11 responders who are able to reach casualties within minutes while the ambulance is on the way.

In January this year cardiac arrest survivors gathered at the White Hart with ambulance staff and rescusitation experts to celebrate the success of the HART scheme - now in its eighth year.

HART chairman Dick Nye says: “We are very grateful to Gyles for all his support over the years and are delighted that he now has a defibrillator installed at the pub.”

Gyles and some of his regulars have done London to Brighton bike rides for the British Heart Foundation - and plan to do so again in June.