The Windermere Area First Responders were awarded the £850 grant from the Windermere and Staveley neighbourhood forum and will use the funds to buy a new automated external defibrillator.

Covering Bowness, Windermere, Troutbeck, Troutbeck Bridge and Storrs Park, they are one of around 15 first responder groups based around the South Lakeland area. Volunteers are trained to give potentially lifesaving treatment following a 999 call until an ambulance crew are able to get to the scene.

The Windermere Area First Responders have been attending 999 calls since October and have five defibrillators stored at locations around the area. Having had 110 call outs in the last three months the team found that an extra set of equipment would save valuable minutes in an emergency.

Cllr Oliver Pearson, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member for communities, said: "This is fantastic news for the area and shows what a difference neighbourhood forum grants can make to a local area.

"This defibrillator will inevitably help save the life of someone in the future and this is a perfect example of public money doing exactly what it should – improving the community."

Mark Jones, chair of Windermere First Responders, said: "The grant for the new defibrillator will help speed up our response time to many of our call outs. We know that the first eight minutes after a heart attack, for example, are vital. By storing the equipment in some of our busiest areas we can avoid making a detour and get to the scene as quickly as possible.

"It was straightforward to apply for a grant - I just filled out the application and then went along to the neighbourhood forum to tell residents a little about what we do, what we would use the money for, and how our work benefits local people and they decided we were an organisation they'd like to fund. I'd encourage other organisations like us to apply for a grant if they need this kind of support as it's been invaluable to us."

There are more than 60 neighbourhood forums across Cumbria. They are organised by Cumbria County Council, often in association with the local district council and give residents the chance to get together with their neighbours, local councillors and often guest speakers from a range of local organisations and charities to discuss and find solutions to local issues.

Each forum area also has a small budget for grants which are available to community and voluntary organisations whose work will benefit the community. Residents are able to have their say in how this money should be allocated.

If you would like to find out if a voluntary or community group you are involved with might be eligible for a Neighbourhood Forum Grant, go to www.cumbria.gov.uk/neighbourhoodforums or contact the County Council's Community Unit South Lakeland area support team on 01539 713 181.

To find out more about the Windermere Area First Responders please contact Mark Jones on 01539 738585 or 07736 677307.