On 7th June 2026 Laurence Mead (83), one of the Church Wardens at the Cathedral Church of St Augustine of Canterbury, painters Forstal, Kent, (who is also our Diocesan Bishop’s father) suffered a heart attack in Church after the morning Mass. Thankfully, the Parish’s Associate Music Director, Matthew Schellhorn, who was the organist at the Mass, quickly put his First Aid training and the defibrillator on the exterior of the Church to good use.The paramedics, ambulances, police and even the air ambulance responded in record time, but it is unanimously agreed by all those who responded and the subsequent medical professionals that it was Mr Schellhorn’s quick response starting CPR and the use of the defibrillator which saved Laurence’s life. Praise God and thank you to everyone who responded and worked so hard to help. Thank you too for the many messages of support and concern that have been received from our Church family and the wider community.
Laurence is slowly recovering in hospital and the prognosis is very encouraging.
The defibrillator was placed by Ospringe Parish Council, and St Augustine’s has been happy to host it, never imaging that one of their own might need it first!