A PARISH clerk will be taking on a half marathon to raise money to purchase defibrillators for a village.

Sheridan Edward, the parish clerk at Burnham Parish Council, has set a target of £5,000 to raise for the Burnham Heartbeat Project, a scheme launched by the parish council with the support of Burnham Health Promotion Trust.

The scheme aims to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be placed around the village so that residents have quick and easy access to them in case of an emergency.

AEDs are used to treat patients in certain cases of sudden cardiac arrest and are placed in public places with 24-hour access.

At present there are no defibrillators in Burnham that are accessible 24-hours a day, and Mr Edward hopes to raise the money to install four defibrillators at key points in the village.

If Mr Edward achieves his target, it would mean the vast majority of residents are no more than 400m away from an AED when at home.

Councillor Paul Kelly, parish council chairman, said: "I am delighted that Sheridan has kindly taken up the challenge. The plan has always been to make sure Burnham village has a number of defibrillators by the end of 2016. If they save just one life then it's worth it.

"Along with the commitment to make Burnham village dementia friendly, this is part of an ongoing project to make the village a better and safer place to live."

The fundraising would also include the installation of vandal-proof cabinets to ensure that the AEDs are functional and accessible at all times.

AEDs automatically diagnose a patient’s condition and, if appropriate, can deliver a shock to re-establish an effective rhythm. They are designed to be simple to use by any member of the public, without the need for any training.

Sudden cardiac arrest happens to around one in 1,000 of the population each year, making it one of the country’s largest killers.

The potential for saving life is time-dependent. Clinical studies suggest you have less than five minutes from the event to save the life, this decreasing by up to 23% per minute. AEDs can provide a vital lifeline in many cases of sudden cardiac arrest, in advance of paramedics arriving.

Mr Edward will be taking on the Silverstone Half Marathon on Sunday, March 13. To sponsor him, call 01628 550385, visit www.everyclick.com/burnhamheartbeatproject or visit the parish council offices in Burnham Park Hall, Windsor Lane.