Supporting life-saving defibrillator campaign in Beverley
Date 3 March 2025
Care Connection Partners and our sister company My Caring have supported a defibrillator campaign in memory of a much-loved Beverley man who died suddenly.
Keith Wood died unexpectedly from heart-related problems on December 25, 2022, aged 68.
Eleven of his family and friends completed a 51-mile walk from York Minster to Beverley Minster over three days in September 2023, along the Minster Way, raising more than £10,000 for four life-saving defibrillators and making donations to three other worthy causes.
The defibrillators have been installed at The Angel and Lord Nelson pubs, the Dog and Duck Coaching Inn and New House care home in Beverley.
The four defibrillators situated in Beverley.
The walking team will maintain the Angel and Lord Nelson defibrillators, the New House team will manage theirs and Beverley and District Motor Club will maintain the Dog and Duck equipment.
Some of our team from Care Connection Partners and My Caring attended a recent fundraising afternoon at The Angel to support the walkers in raising additional funds to maintain the Angel and Lord Nelson defibrillators in the future.
We were delighted to donate £500 from each business, adding £1,000 to their fundraising efforts on the day.
We also created care bags for the walkers to enjoy after they completed the walk, including homemade biscuits and other treats.
Keith Wood.
Our General Manager Beth MacLeod-Birch, who also knew Keith and remains a good friend of his family, said: “When we heard of our dear friends undertaking this challenge in memory of Keith to raise funds for much-needed defibrillators in Beverley, we thought of ways we could help.
“While they were superbly supported along their journey by an incredible team, we came up with the idea of providing care bags for when they arrived back in Beverley.
“These included foot packs, water, tissues and a homemade sugary treat in the form of one of Keith’s favourite biscuits – the ginger nut.
“Keith was a truly exceptional man and we’re delighted to see that four defibrillators are now in situ thanks to the fantastic efforts of Team Keith.
The team at Beverley Minster.
“It was also a pleasure to support their more recent fundraising afternoon to add to the defibrillator maintenance fund and support the raffle and auction. They raised more than £3,000 on the day and it was wonderful to play our part in that.”
The Angel and Lord Nelson defibrillators have been in place since December 2023 and have collectively been deployed more than 20 times but were, thankfully, not needed. The New House and Dog and Duck defibrillators are the most recent additions after the locations were confirmed.
Keith’s daughter Katy Wood said: “We’re so grateful to Care Connection Partners and My Caring teams for their very generous donation towards our defibrillator maintenance fund and for supporting us with the care bags following the walk.
“Devastatingly, it was too late for a defibrillator to save dad but these pieces of life-saving equipment are there to save the lives of others in the future if needed.
The care bags.
“This has been an incredible team effort and I’m so proud of everyone involved. It’s a fantastic legacy in memory of dad.”
The Beverley Dynamites Lifestyle team, a group of young girls from the town, also donated £276 to the maintenance fund after raising money to purchase a defibrillator for Skidby Playing Fields in East Yorkshire last year.