The King’s Award for Voluntary Service - Award Ceremony
On Saturday 2nd May, we were privileged to host The Lord-Lieutennant of East Sussex, who presented the team with The Kings Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of HRH The King.
We would like to thank all those who have supported us in order to be able to achieve this honour, but also in our day to day operations, allowing us to serve our community.
To do the work we do is a true privilege and to have received this honour is something we are incredibly proud of and are very grateful to have received.
Also a special thank you to The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne for their gracious hospitality on the day.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Eastbourne Area Community First Responders (EACFR) are delighted to announce that the organisation has been honoured with the prestigious, The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), in recognition of their exceptional voluntary contributions to emergency care and community resilience within the Eastbourne area.
This recognition, the highest honour given to local volunteer groups in the UK and equivalent to an MBE, celebrates outstanding achievement in voluntary service to communities.
Since its formation 16 years ago, Eastbourne Area Community First Responders has operated as a volunteer-led organisation, providing an emergency response within the Eastbourne and neighbouring areas alongside South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Volunteers attend calls at all hours, often arriving ahead of ambulance crews to stabilise patients and give vital minutes of care before becoming part of the team caring for the patient delivering a seamless chain of survival. They also provide comfort and support to distressed relatives while the patient receives treatment.
The group is actively involved within the community and holds training sessions in schools, workplaces and community venues training all age groups on how to perform CPR and the use of a defibrillator. This includes alongside their Emergency Service partners in delivering the 999 weekend on the Western Lawns equipping more than 1,600 local people with life-saving techniques.
The KAVS is awarded for life and marks a significant milestone in the organisation’s history.
Richard Bradford, Team Leader, said “I can’t express enough how very proud I am to be part of the team. I am immensely proud of every member and supporter of the team and to be their team leader is a privilege. This Award is a tribute to their commitment, courage and compassion. Day in, day out, they step forward to support our community in moments of greatest need. To be recognised with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service is a true honour for the whole team.”
#KAVS2025
Team Photo
Eastbourne Team at training with Remembrance livery on Secamb vehicle as background
Free CPR and Defibrillator Training This
Restart a Heart Day
Eastbourne Community First Responders (CFRs), in partnership with the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), are proud to announce a free CPR training event taking place at The Beacon Centre on Restart a Heart Day – Thursday, 16 October 2025
The event will run from 09:00 AM to 17:00 PM located in the centre of the shopping centre adjacent to Shades Restaurant,with demonstrations and interactive sessions suitable for all ages. No booking is required — just turn up, learn, and help save lives.
Members of the public are invited to drop by throughout the day to learn vital life-saving CPR skills and gain confidence in using a defibrillator (AED). Training will be delivered by experienced Community First Responders and SECAmb clinicians, offering everyone the opportunity to make a real difference in an emergency.
“When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts,” said Richard Bradford , Eastbourne CFR Team Leader. “ Restart a Heart Day is all about empowering our community to step in and help.”
Restart a Heart Day is a national initiative led by the Resuscitation Council UK, aiming to raise awareness about cardiac arrest and train as many people as possible in CPR.
East Sussex College - Safety In Action
Eastbourne campus Uniformed Protective Service students together with Eastbourne Area Community First Responders supported East Sussex Fire & rescue service Safety in Action week. Local primary school students attended and were shown 9 safety scenario’s including, fire, rail, electrical, water, country and personal safety.
The Eastbourne campus students assisted in demonstrating the life saving skill of CPR to over 500 children. The College students have attended over the four days as part of their volunteering learning assignments, aligned to the blue emergency services. Eastbourne Responders and Secamb really value the cooperation we have with East Sussex College and their continued support of these events.
Saturday 12th July 10:30am-5pm & Sunday 13th July 11:00am-5pm 2025 (opening ceremony 11am)
Eastbourne Area Community First Responders will be there to teach you a very simple Life Saving Skill - Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and using an Automatic External Defibrillator Is part of the Chain of Survival. Anyone who collapses with a Sudden Cardiac Arrest will have a much better chance of surviving if bystander CPR is started immediately.
The 999 Weekend will take place on Saturday 12th July Sunday 13th July 2025 and is expected to attract thousands from across the region.
Safety in Action day at Ocklynge School
All set up and ready for another Safety in Action day at Ocklynge School. Another 200 pupils taught CPR. This simple Life Saving Skills makes a difference in cases of Cardiac Arrest. Contact us at info@eastbourneresponders.com
Safety In Action CPR Training
Eastbourne Responders set up ready for this weeks Safety in Action organised by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Also attended by Sussex Police, British Transport Police and Network Rail.
We will have trained just over 400 school children to carry out CPR, a life saving skill which might help them help someone in Cardiac Arrest.
Team Photo
Some of the team taking a break during our bi-monthly training at Polegate ambulance station
Mayor of Polegate presents cheque to Eastbourne Area Community First Responders
Cllr Dan Dunbar Mayor of Polegate was able to present the charity with a cheque for £1,305.22. The funds were raised through civic events in the town including the council’s annual Mayors Christmas Tea Party and a community carol service. Cllr Dan Dunbar said “I am extremely grateful for the generous donations received on these occasions by the wonderful people of Polegate and our local businesses.”
Throughout the year, the Mayor has continued to support his chosen charity and has played a key role in raising the profile of this dedicated volunteer team, who respond to medical emergencies in the community. His efforts have also helped increase awareness of the importance of CPR and the use of defibrillators.
Partnership working secures defibrillator for Polegate.
A new defibrillator has been installed in Polegate this week thanks to partnership working between
local organisations. The new defibrillator is located outside Lighting Fibre on Twin Oaks
Drive.
Eastbourne Area Community First Responders were able to secure funding for the defibrillator through the community grants scheme from South East Water. With the location chosen to enhance the network of strategic placed defibrillators across the community, Lighting Fibre agreed to have the cabinet installed on the front of their building and supply its power source. While Polegate Town Council have agreed to ensure it’s maintained and kept available through the British Hearts Foundation the circuit which feeds into the Ambulance Service nationwide database of public accessible defibrillators.
Polegate Mayor Cllr Dan Dunbar said “This is community partnership working at its finest to provide lifesaving equipment for our community.”
Richard Bradford from Eastbourne Responders added “In a cardiac arrest for every minute without CPR and use of a defibrillator survival rates reduce by up to 10%. For anyone wishing to have training in the use of defibrillators and how to perform CPR can contact us at
info@eastbourneresponders.com for a free training
session.
Community First Responders receive donation from Polegate estate agent.
Polegate based estate agents Archer and Partners have donated over £500 to their local team of Community First Responders to enable them to install further lifesaving equipment for the Polegate Community.
The donation of £570 was raised through the estate agents community photocopying service. David Shelton from Archer and Partners said “It is an absolute pleasure to support the Community First Responders so they’re able to provide another defibrillator, which is vital to help saving lives”. Richard Bradford and Dan Dunbar visited their Polegate office to thank them for generosity and explain how their donation will be used.
Dan Dunbar who responds from Polegate said “We are extremely grateful to David and the team for this donation, which will be used towards a further defibrillator to be installed within the town to increase the coverage of public access defibrillators locally. Team Leader Richard Bradford added “the use of a defibrillator and commencing CPR prior to the emergency services arriving in a cardiac arrest can more than double the chance of survival.
Anyone who would like free training in CPR and the use of a defibrillator can contact us at info@eastbourneresponders.com
999 Event - 2024
Great turnout for Eastbourne 999 this year! All Responders that could possibly get there attended and taught CPR to over 1600 people. A great opportunity to meet the people of Eastbourne Area and explain the work of the Responders and give them the opportunity to learn life saving skills.
Cowbeech Bonfire Society
The Cowbeech Bonfire Society presentation evening at the Merrie Harriers where they made a wonderful donation of £650 towards the replacement of a defibrillator that was stolen from Community Wise in Old Town Eastbourne before Christmas. A lovely evening with many donations given. Well Done and Thank you Cowbeech Bonfire Society
