By Cianna McNally

THE Co. Monaghan Fund donated lifesaving defibrillator-training equipment to Teach Na nDaoine in Monaghan Town on Thursday last, February 14. The training equipment is there to be used, free of charge, by any community group in the North Monaghan area which has a defibrillator. Defibrillator groups need to update their training on a regular basis and the Co. Monaghan Fund is willing to retrain two leaders from each group, once the leaders have their initial training done. These leaders can then instruct other members in their group.

The Co. Monaghan Fund has also previously donated defibrillator-training equipment to Ballybay for people in the mid-Monaghan area and to Carrickmacross for residents in South Monaghan. In Ballybay, the equipment is available from the Community and Social Centre at Pearse Park and in Carrickmacross, the CPR group there can be contacted. The Co. Monaghan Fund encourages community groups who have defibrillators in their locality to use this equipment. Anybody interested in this training at Teach na nDaoine can contact Fund Development Manager, Seamus McDermott on 0872050365.

All money used by The Co. Monaghan Fund is donated by Monaghan people. The Community Foundation for Ireland has given the Fund a challenge grant of €150,000. If the donors to the Fund are PAYE workers and donate over €250 in a year, their money is worth double to the Fund as it will also receive the donor’s tax. This means that whatever money is donated to The Co. Monaghan Fund will benefit Monaghan projects forever.