A new Rotary grant is giving Woking’s Community First Responders a vital upgrade – and the ability to help some of the area’s most vulnerable residents.

At its latest meeting, Woking District Rotary Club agreed to fund ten new pulse oximeters with a £1,500 donation. The handheld devices measure oxygen levels in patients, providing crucial data in emergencies. Unlike the older models now reaching the end of their life, the new equipment can be used on infants and children as well as adults.

“We are very grateful to Woking District Rotary Club for their generous donation which will enable us to serve the community in Woking even better than before,” said Conor Maher, team leader of the Woking group.

The people of Woking can be reassured that the team now have the right tools for any patient who needs them.

Conor had recently visited the club at Hoebridge Golf Centre to run a live demonstration of CPR and portable defibrillator use. Some of the equipment showcased on the night had also been funded by Rotary in past years.

This latest grant marks the end of a record year for the club, which has distributed more than £57,000 in funding since July 2024. Around £44,000 supported causes in Woking and West Surrey, while £13,000 helped fund international aid projects – including sand dams in Kenya.

“This has been a fantastic year for our club in terms of the amount we have been able to put to work for great causes, both at home and abroad,” said incoming club president Gill Colbeck. “We are very conscious that all this money has been raised locally. We depend on the continuing generosity of the wonderful people of Woking.”

With a charity golf day and Woking’s Fireworks Extravaganza on the horizon, the club is already working towards its next round of support.