The Personnel Group donates defibrillator to Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare

“The more defibrillators that are in communities and public spaces, the more lives are going to be saved.”

This story appeared in The Border Mail

The Personnel Group donates defibrillator to Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare

By Ellen Ebsary

The Personnel Group’s Tracey Whatley and Anthea Hatherall present a new defibrillator to FoodShare general manager Peter Matthews at their Wigg Street, Wodonga, facility.

A new supermarket-style FoodShare facility will be added to Ambulance Victoria’s defibrillator register following a donation from The Personnel Group.

Personnel Group staff raised nearly $6000 to purchase three of the machines for facilities across the not-for-profit’s footprint, in Wodonga, Bendigo and Canberra.

“During COVID, we didn’t have the usual opportunities to give back to the community, so through our internal fundraising, we decided that we could give back to the community this way,” she said.

Ms Hatherall was impressed by the new facility when handing over the AED.

“It helps to give people back their dignity, because they’re actually choosing the items for themselves,” she said.

FoodShare general manager Peter Matthews said members of the community could come do a grocery shop after being referred by a support agency.

“We’ve been planning this for over a year now,” he said.

“The first objective was to find a suitable site and we were able to do that early this year.

“It was then kitted out … we’re now into our third week and we’ve had a huge COVID response.

“Prior to this we were using it for hamper assembly, and one day we delivered 65 hampers direct to those who needed them.”

Mr Matthews said Personnel’s donation was welcomed by volunteers, who would be receiving training from Ambulance Victoria.

“The more defibrillators that are in communities and public spaces, the more lives are going to be saved,” he said.