A TAEKWONDO club which holds classes in Teesdale has surprised a defibrillator charity by sponsoring its co-founder £500 to tackle last weekend’s Great North Run.
Chungdokwan Taekwondo, based in Barnard Castle, Darlington and Frosterley, surprised The David Nelson Memorial Fund by presenting the cheque to David’s daughter and charity co-founder Gillian Hutchinson.
Gillian and her sister-in-law initially started fundraising to buy defibrillators in Weardale after the loss of her dad in 2015.
Since then, the fund has gone from strength to strength, providing 20 defibrillators across Weardale and Teesdale.
Katey Wallace, who runs Chungdokwan Taekwondo, said: “There are a lot of amazing positives about living in the dales but ambulance response times is not one of them.
“If you are rural, and most people who live here are, these defibs are lifesaving pieces of kit that wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for The David Nelson Memorial Fund.
“The selflessness Gillian and her family have shown is inspiring.
“We want to help her anyway we can and hopefully this money does some good for the local community.”
The club raised the money by hosting a charity competition.
“We picked this cause because it’s something that benefits everyone in the local area. You never know when you or a loved one may need to use it,” explained Ms Wallace.
Ms Hutchinson said: “It’s not often I’m speechless but when I got presented with the cheque I was.
“I can’t believe they have thought of us when thinking of a charity. The support that we have had with this mission has been immense from the local community and I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of what we have done.”
The charity has just donated its 21st defibrillator to Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team and continue to raise money towards the upkeep of the defibs in the dale.
