December, 2018

We’re delighted, and might even say ‘floored’, that funds needed for major improvement work at Langford Village Community Hall have been secured more quickly than we’d dared hope. Thanks to some fantastic support a brand new Karndean surface has now been laid, replacing the twenty-five-year-old original flooring that had served us well since the Hall first opened in early 1994.

The Langford Village Community Association (LVCA) had appealed to supporters at the beginning of 2018 knowing that it would take a major effort to raise the large amount that was needed. Excitingly, and in just over six months, a total of £12,000 was made ready to ensure the work could go ahead and the new floor was installed in September.

Now the many local groups and organisations that use Langford Village Community Hall are reporting how much they’re enjoying using the improved facility and passing on their thanks that the improvement has been made possible.The funds needed were raised in a number of ways. For example, the support of local residents who put tokens in the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ boxes helped secure a £2,000 donation from the supermarket. Donations were also made by the Doris Field Trust, Bicester Parkrun and via the Nightingale pub, which backed a special quiz night to help.

Both Cherwell District Council and Bicester Town Council gave financial grants and the LVCA used some of the funds it had built up through hiring out the hall.

Carole Hetherington, the chair of the LVCA, says, “It was really terrific to see our appeal getting such a fast and positive response and we’d like to give a big thanks to all who’ve supported us. We’re very proud of the new floor and will be taking great care to ensure this one also serves local residents for a good quarter of a century”.

The LVCA also wishes to thank Manor Flooring for their help and professionalism in laying the floor and for giving a discount, which also helped ensure the work could go ahead swiftly.

Users of the Hall may have noticed the yellow box situated on the wall to left of the entrance to the Langford Village Community Centre. This contains an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). An AED is a sophisticated yet easy-to-use device that could save a life.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of premature death. It occurs because the normal electrical rhythm that controls the heart is replaced by a chaotic disorganised electrical rhythm – ventricular fibrillation (VF).

The quicker VF can be treated by defibrillation, the greater the chance of successful resuscitation. Every second counts as unfortunately the ambulance service is unlikely to arrive quickly enough to resuscitate most victims.

An AED delivers a high energy electric shock to a victim in sudden cardiac arrest to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. The AED analyses the victim’s heart rhythm precisely and will only deliver a shock if it is required.

Many victims of sudden cardiac arrest can be saved if persons nearby recognise what has happened, dial 999 to summon the ambulance service without delay, perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an AED.

Click below to watch our short video explaining how residents can use the AED at Langford Village Community Centre.