Life-saving equipment defaced in city
The Heart 2 Heart Norfolk defibrillator outside the Garage Centre for Performing Arts in Chapel Field North, Norwich - Credit: Jayne Biggs
A mother, fundraiser and campaigner has been left devastated after one of the defibrillators she worked tireless to donate to the people of Norwich was graffitied on.
Jayne Biggs of Bradwell, near Gorleston-on-Sea, set up Heart 2 Heart in 2016 to provide 24/7 public access defibrillators - a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest - that can be used in case of an emergency.
The 50-year-old head of the non-profit registered charity has three defibrillators in Norwich and 260 across Norfolk and Suffolk.
One of the "defibs" - outside the Garage Centre for Performing Arts in Chapel Field North - was found vandalised with bright green graffiti on Sunday, July 24.
Jayne discovered the green graffiti on the Norwich defibrillator on Sunday, July 24 - Credit: Jayne Biggs
"I just think: 'What is the point?' It's ridiculous," she said.
"The cabinet wasn't tampered with thankfully but I can't get the paint off.
"I tried to remove it with a varnish remover but that's just made a right mess of it.
Jayne tried to remove the graffiti herself to no avail - Credit: Jayne Biggs
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"I'm upset because I work so hard to raise money to fund these.
"I do it for a personal reason.
"Nine years ago my daughter was saved by a defib when she was seven. She had a sudden cardiac arrest at home.
Jayne Biggs and her daughter Violet, 16. When Violet was seven she suffered a cardiac arrest and a defibrillator saved her life - Credit: Jayne Biggs
"Violet had never been poorly. She was asleep in bed and I went to check on her and she had totally stopped breathing.
"My husband and I did CPR on her for seven minutes before the paramedics got to our house.
"She survived.
"She was then diagnosed with a sudden death condition - the same that Eriksen suffered with at the 2020 Euros.
"Believe me, it's not always somebody that's older that goes into cardiac arrest.
"We were blessed that Violet made it."
Disgusted at the faceless vandalism of the kit - which costs £1,500 - Jayne took to Facebook to share of the crime.
Although proud of her work over the last six years, she hopes to raise awareness of the importance of publicly-accessible defibrillators
Jayne still has funding available to install another defibrillator in Norwich.
Businesses who are willing to have it outside their building can get in touch on 07585 604125.
