Bill Morley tragically lost his son, Billy, in 2024 after he suffered a cardiac arrest. Following this awful incident, Bill and his family decided to turn their experience into a positive one by raising awareness of cardiac arrests and the need for defibrillators.

Bill shares, “Billy was on a stag do in Liverpool at the time and suffered a heart attack, which led to a cardiac arrest. Although his friend tried tirelessly to save Billy, there were no defibrillators nearby to be used.

“This doesn’t mean to say that it would have changed the outcome, but there wasn’t the option for a defibrillator to improve my son’s chances of survival.”

Bill continues: “I wanted to try and ensure that no other family in Cumbria has to go through what my family and I experienced. This led me to reach out to the North West Ambulance Charity in January 2025, with the hope of working together to install defibrillators in Cumbria.

“Since then, I have been working closely with Community Resuscitation Engagement Officer, Megan Stephenson, with support and funding from local organisations, community groups and the North West Ambulance Charity. The first defibrillator was successfully installed in Bowthorn, Cleator Moor.

“The overwhelming need to raise awareness and get more of these lifesaving defibrillators has become my passion. The support that I have received from our communities is amazing. Not only that, but my family have made this our priority, if we can give people a chance and save lives, it will all be worth it.”

To date, Bill and his family have helped to install 62 new defibrillators in West Cumbria, with hopefully, many more to follow

Bill continues: “In total, we have raised and donated an incredible £28,200 to the North West Ambulance Charity, which has enabled us to purchase and install defibrillators, cabinets and other necessary equipment.

“We’ve worked tirelessly to not only raise money and place equipment to save lives, but we’ve also delivered CPR awareness sessions to over 400 people in West Cumbria, ensuring that people know how to use a defibrillator and give CPR in an emergency.”

Megan also spoke on the incredible project, “Bill’s efforts in Cumbria go far beyond raising awareness or fundraising, they are lifesaving.”

“He has a close team, including an electrician, myself, a local community first responder volunteer and the North West Ambulance Charity, which ensures that each defibrillator installation is done properly and that the public are well-informed about their use. Every defibrillator is registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network to ensure they are visible to our 999 call handlers too.

“Bill doesn’t just stop there; he provides support to empower those with the confidence to take action, use the defibrillators and perform CPR when needed.

“The Morley’s Defibrillator Appeal is not just expanding defibrillator coverage, but also equipping our communities with the knowledge and courage to act in the crucial moments of a cardiac arrest.

“I am very proud to be part of this project, and it is always an honour to work closely with someone so passionate about improving the survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests,”