Care South, a not-for-profit charity and provider of residential and care-at-home services across the South of England, has selected Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) Housing as a beneficiaries of its Chairman’s 2020 Fund, awarding the charity £774.50 to install a public access defibrillator.

The new defibrillator has been installed in a highly visible protective cabinet at Stanmore House for use by the Sussexdown care home, the RAFA Housing retirement complex and the general public.

The Chairman’s 2020 Fund was set up last year to support ‘Care South’s friends’ and has been established with the aim of benefiting Care South employees, volunteers and community groups that provide a community service to the group’s care homes, care-at-home offices, clients and/or residents. Care South’s Sussexdown care home team, based in Storrington, West Sussex unanimously nominated RAFA Housing to be a beneficiary.

Simon Bird, Care South’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be able to support this incredible charity which is widely recognised by the team and residents at Sussexdown, as well as the wider community. The work they do to provide retirement housing for RAF veterans and their dependants is very important, and we are so pleased the grant has gone towards this fantastic lifesaving equipment for those who may need it.”

Pat Glue, independent living manager at RAFA Housing, added: “We are so thankful to Care South for this generous donation to fund such an essential health device. Knowing the defibrillator is on site will, I’m sure, bring peace of mind to our tenants and to the wider community.”

RAFA Housing’s parent charity, the Royal Air Forces Association, provides welfare services and support, including telephone friendship and mental wellbeing training, to the whole RAF community, including serving personnel and veterans.