Defibrillator Support for the Homeless

The GRAHAM site at York Street recently donated a defibrillator to The Welcome Organisation – a charity that provides a range of potentially life-saving services for people affected by homelessness across Belfast.

The defibrillator, which gives a high energy shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest, will be transported in a specialist Street Outreach Vehicle where it can be deployed to provide critical interventions to homeless people and rough sleepers

The homeless charity estimates that there has been a 35% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Belfast during 2018/2019 compared to 2017/2018.

Coinciding with “Restart a Heart Day”, members of the York Street site team presented the life-saving device to The Welcome Organisation.

GRAHAM is currently completing a number of major building and interior fit-out projects across the city centre. This broad footprint within Belfast has heightened awareness of rough sleeping amongst our operatives which subsequently prompted a collective effort to do something to help.

The donation is particularly timely for The Welcome Organisation in its 24 hour winter outreach service.

“We couldn’t deliver the level of support we do for people affected by homelessness in Belfast if it wasn’t for the support of GRAHAM,” said Jo Daykin-Goodall, Director of Services at The Welcome Organisation.