GALASHIELS youngsters have been praised following the installation of a new defibrillator in the town.

A ribbon-cutting event was held outside the Salmon Inn on the Bank Street, where the piece of life-saving equipment is located.

And members of the TD1 Youth Hub were in attendance after getting involved in the project.

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The group's project lead Stephanie Anderson, who was also at the ceremony, said: “I’m very proud of the young people. When they heard about the project they wanted to get involved and it coincided with our Easter event at the Volunteer Hall where they raised £400 toward the cost.

“TD1 Youth Hub is always keen to support local causes and we are looking for our next project.”

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A defibrillator is essential when trying to save someone in cardiac arrest.

The new device in Galashiels town centre is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the team from the Salmon Inn providing the utilities and maintenance needed to keep it operational.

In a project led by Helen Calder, from the family-run inn, the invaluable community asset has been made possible through the support of various individuals and organisations.

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Helen said: "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed generously through our JustGiving campaign and give special thanks to Energise Galashiels Trust, the Focus Centre, the Scottish Building Society and TD1 Youth Hub. The support from those within our community is a testament to how much people care in Galashiels."

She added: "An inspiring highlight of the project was the involvement of the young people from the town.

"The support from everyone at TD1 Youth Hub was fantastic, so we felt it was fitting that a few group members were invited to cut the ribbon to mark the installation of the equipment."

Scottish HART, the Cameron Gunn Memorial Trust and Kenneth Gunn were involved in the project, providing expertise in sourcing the correct equipment for the location.

As part of the project, community members were invited to participate in a defibrillator familiarisation session, hosted at MacArts, earlier in the year.

Training officers from Life Support Scotland, Colin Baxter and George Miller, delivered the session to 80 people, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to save lives in emergencies.