A fundraising group set up to honour a Livingston man who passed away from cardiac arrest have donated two defibrillators to West Lothian communities.
The Paul Lynas Memorial Group has raised £70,000 since Paul sadly died aged just 37 five years ago.
The majority of those funds have been donated to British Heart Foundation but they recently purchased two life-saving defibrillators which have been placed at Bathgate Bowling Club and House 54 in Eliburn.
Paul’s brother-in-law Ally Fleming spoke of his pride after handing over the equipment and is aiming to help fund more defibrillators across the county.
Speaking to the Courier, he commented: “It was a chance for the group to all get together, which doesn’t happen often, and really celebrate Paul.
“By donating these pieces of life-saving equipment to the community, we really feel that we’re keeping Paul’s story out there.
“We have raised funds for British Heart Foundation and it’s been great to see what they’ve been doing but to know we’re giving back to the community that Paul was proud to be part of is very special.”
He added: “We felt Bathgate Bowling Club and Eliburn were the perfect places but we want to see if we can raise funds for even more and get as many as possible out there.
“One of the really important things for us about these two are that they’re registered on the circuit. That means that the person on the other end of the phone can see that the defibrillators are there if there’s ever anyone in the area that needs it.
“We obviously hope they’ll never be needed but we all know how vital and important the equipment is. It can literally be life-saving.”
Livingston MP Hannah Bardell was in attendance to help unveil the Eliburn defibrillator and she added: “Paul Lynas was clearly an incredible guy, loved dearly by his family, friends and community. It’s testament to the mark he has left following his tragic death five years ago that they have all pulled together and have raised over £70,000 to put in place defibrillators across West Lothian.
“It was an honour to attend the official unveiling of one of the defibrillators at House 54 in Eliburn.
“This piece of vital equipment will not only save lives, but will be a focal point to remember Paul and help teach people about the importance of knowing what to do if someone has a heart attack or heart issues.”
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