AED donation to Mint Lane

This week Branston donated an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to Mint Lane Café, in Lincoln. Following a number of fundraising events through the year, and match-funding from the company, this was the first of its local community donations.

As well as being an affordable café and surplus shop Mint Lane Café provides a warm welcome to the Involve@Lincoln wellbeing centre, which is home to other activities including counselling, peer support groups, creative therapy sessions and condition themed support. It also provides a base for Let them Eat Cake, a charity supporting and aiding Lincoln’s rough sleeping community.

Branston regularly donates potatoes to support both Mint Lane café and Let them Eat Cake and was pleased to be able to donate an AED to have on hand in case of emergency. Mint Lane Café is a busy and thriving hub, which is well used by many local people. Ian Blackmore from Involve@Lincoln and Marion Foster from Let Them Eat Cake were there to accept the donation.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can strike at any time. When it does, using a defibrillator has proven to be the most effective response. Defibrillation within three minutes of SCA increases the chances of survival to over 70%. Literally every second counts.

Branston is working with Lincolnshire-based charity LIVES, to make sure that the donated AEDs are supplemented by vital training in how to use them. They are hosting a training session later in the month to support this.

LIVES provides emergency care in critical situations and works with communities to ensure that any individual who suffers a 999 medical emergency in Lincolnshire is surrounded by the best rapid response care available.

Mint Lane Cafe provides affordable meals in their cafe and groceries in their Surplus Shop, reducing food waste by taking retail surplus, as well as fresh food donations from local farms and allotment holders.

Photo (L-R): Tanya Leonard, Branston Fresh general manager, Ian Blackmore from Involve@Lincoln, Caroline Benstead, Branston QA team leader & fundraiser, Marion Foster from Let Them Eat Cake and Caitlin Leonard, Branston HR assistant.