Progress Housing Group awards Chorley’s Angels £1,000 during its Soup Dragon’s Den event

Chorley’s Angels gathered the most votes as they pitched against others during Progress Housing Group’s Soup Dragon’s Den, held at St Mary’s Community Centre in Leyland.

Chorley’s Angels will use the money, from Progress Housing Group’s Community Investment Fund, to buy a Life Pak defibrillator, which can help increase chances of survival.

David Forrest, Secretary and Training Manager of Chorley’s Angels First Aid Community Group, said: “We are absolutely thrilled. There were so many great causes that pitched, so we never thought we would win. “The Life Pak is a wonderful little box. It has Bluetooth so information on a person’s heart can be sent to the call handler and ambulance crew to help give better chances of survival. “As a group we have saved lives and this will help us to save more. We will also donate our current defibrillator to a community group and deliver training on how to use it, so we can continue to help other people.”

During the evening, five other community groups and individuals pleaded their case why they should be awarded funding.

Beckie Ramsay gave an emotive pitch about her commitment to educating children and young adults about the dangers of open water swimming. She set up Doing it for Dylan, following the death of her son, who drowned in July 2011.

Other pitches included a dementia disco in Leyland; Fylde Food Bank; a Let’s Get Talking Leyland group by CSA Support Lancashire to raise awareness and provide social activities for survivors of child sexual abuse; and Leyland Knit and Knatter, who make and donate blankets, stuffed animals and lots of other items for various charitable causes.

Each of these will also receive funding of up to £200.

Diane Nash, Progress Involvement Manager, said: “We are so blessed with people who volunteer their time and effort to make the places we live better places to be. “So thank you to everyone who took the time to prepare a pitch and to everyone who came to support these amazing causes. “Well done to everyone and we wish you all the best of luck in your fantastic work.”

Progress Housing Group’s next Soup Dragon’s Den event is now being planned for November. Applications will be open from 2 October 2023.

For more information about the Group’s Community Investment Fund, email [email protected].