A new seafront bench celebrates the life of a Brighton teenager who was saved by a teacher newly-trained in giving CPR when at primary school.
The boy, who has not been named, was just seven when he had a heart attack while at school.
The bench, installed by the British Heart Foundation, is part of a nationwide campaign honouring 65 people across the UK whose lives have been transformed by British Heart Foundation‑funded research.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s projects team found a suitable location for the bench on Madeira Drive.
Cabinet member for public health Mitchie Alexander said: “Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease, which is why the British Heart Foundation’s work, and the stories at the heart of this campaign, matter so deeply.
“Having had a successful life saving open heart surgery myself last summer, this issue is particularly personal to me.
“This bench on Madeira Drive is a tribute not just to one remarkable young survivor in our city, but to the power of quick action, CPR training and lifesaving research.
“We’re proud to support the British Heart Foundation in celebrating their work which continues to save lives.”
A councillor happily sitting on a bench for a photo opportunity, while the social services team she is responsible for plans to close a day centre for adults with learning disabilities in the upcoming council budget. Nice.
This story is about the British Heart Foundation and their good work, disappointing to see it being hijacked by ta councillor rather than them concentrating on things they actually control in their social care brief.
NB – the British Heart Foundation are amazing and they do tremendous campaigning and work. My comments are not to detract from that. Other than the council allowing permission for a bench, it’s a non-council story.
But you ARE detracting from the story by trying to turn it into a negative. Beyond the basic “new bench”, it’s also an opportunity to remind us of the good work that the British Heart Foundation does, both through this story, and when we walk past it in future.
You’re a bit weird if you are reminded of who was sitting on it in a picture, lol.
This is the councillor who had a big heart surgery last summer, that saved their life ! I would say that she was the most ideal person from the council to have their photo taken sitting on it.
Why does it need to be anyone from the council in the photo though. The Royal Sussex carries out multiple big heart surgery on multiple patients every day. She’s not one of the 65 people being honoured by the national bench campaign, nor is she a representative of the British Heart Foundation.
I don’t doubt that the surgery this councillor had was a big personal issue for her, but at a time when the social care budget she oversees at the council is being cut and squeezed further, which has the potential to impact on other people’s lives, making it harder, and potentially costing lives, it feels off to me for the council (or any councillor overseeing social care funding cuts at the council) to try and shoehorn their way into this story.
We need both; better social care funding AND more support for preventative health. One doesn’t cancel out the other. Suggesting the councillor has no standing to speak on promoting cardiovascular health because of her portfolio is a classic ad hominem.
And again, we’re detracting from the positive aspects of this story, Jo, something you said you were keen to avoid!