Defibs4Bristol: 2025 Progress and Plans for 2026

Our last blog post was published in November 2025, so we wanted to share a quick update on where we finished the year and what we’re working towards in 2026.

Since then, we’ve continued to focus on placing defibrillators where they’re genuinely needed, supporting our guardians, and making sure existing defibrillators remain registered, visible and ready for use.

2025: Installations and Network Support

During 2025, eight new Community Public Access Defibrillators were installed with direct involvement from Defibs4Bristol, bringing the total number overseen by Simon to 57 publicly accessible defibrillators across Bristol.

Direct installations in 2025 included

• The Sportsman, Bishopston (Installation No. 50)

• South West Upholstery, Novers Hill

• The Cambridge Arms, Redland

• The Sikh Temple, St. George

• East Village Café, Clifton (reinstated site)

• Fishpool Hill, Brentry

• Ashley Rodwell Insurance, Kingswood

• The Harvesters, Stockwood

The Sportsman, Nevil Road, Bishopston (Feb 2025)

South West Upholstery, Novers Hill Ind Est, Novers Hill (Feb 2025)

The Cambridge Arms, Coldhabour Road, Redland (Mar 2025)

The Sikh Temple, Summerhill Road, St. George (Apr 2025)

East Village Café, Boyce's Avenue, Clifton (Apr 2025)

Fishpool Hill, Brentry (May 2025)

Ashley Rodwell Insurance, Downend Road, Kingswood (May 2025)

The Harvesters, Harrington Road, Stockwood (July 2025)

Alongside new installations, a significant part of Defibs4Bristol’s work in 2025 involved supporting and safeguarding existing defibrillators, including:

• Assisting community members to secure government grant funding

• Reinstating devices that had dropped off the national Defib Finder system

• Arranging servicing following activations

• Ensuring new defibrillators were correctly registered and visible

Notable assisted or reinstated sites included

Ensuring existing defibrillators remained visible, registered and ready for use

• The Star and Dove (Totterdown) - following earlier support in securing grant funding for the R. Davies site in Whitchurch

• Victoria Park Baptist Church

• The Old Crow (Henbury),

• Spike Island Café

• Turtle Bay on Broad Quay.

The Star and Dove, St Luke's Road, Totterdown (Mar 2025)

The Old Crow, Crow Lane, Henbury (Apr 2025)

Victoria Park Baptist Church, Sylvia Avenue (Mar 2025)

Spike Island Café, Cumberland Road (April 2025)

Turtle Bay, Broad Quay (April 2025)

One particularly significant installation at Turtle Bay, Broad Quay was accessed within 12 hours of going live, following fundraising by First Bus driver Carlos Santos. The project was later highlighted on BBC Points West, with Carlos acknowledging Defibs4Bristol’s role.

Additional Defibrillators Now Supported and Monitored

In addition to installations and reinstatements, Defibs4Bristol is now actively supporting and monitoring a number of defibrillators where local guardians were no longer able to carry out regular checks.

• The Old Crow, Henbury

• EG On The Move service station (formerly Applegreen), Bishopston

• The Luckwell Hotel, Bedminster

• Pen Park Sports Pavilion, Southmead

• Henbury & Brentry Community Centre

• Horfield United Reformed Church, Muller Road

• Victoria Park Baptist Church, St John’s Lane

In 2025, our work was also featured on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Points West, prompting new enquiries from businesses and community groups keen to improve local defibrillator access.

According to the defibrillator management system:

46 defibrillators supported by Defibs4Bristol were deployed a total of 120 times in the last 12 months

Underlining the importance of both placement and ongoing monitoring.

Looking Ahead: Our Plans for 2026

Defibs4Bristol is actively progressing several priority projects for 2026:

• Redland Station - continuing work to secure a defibrillator on or around the station, using coverage mapping to demonstrate the gap while site and power options are explored.

• Cotham Brow / Gloucester Road corridor – discussions with Wickwar Wessex pubs to install a defibrillator at The Cat & Wheel, filling the gap between St Matthew’s Church and the Prince of Wales.

• Training and awareness - CPR and defibrillator training sessions are scheduled throughout February to April 2026, including sessions at Primrose Café and in the Chew Valley.

Continuing the Work

Defibs4Bristol remains committed to targeted placement, long-term maintenance planning, and ensuring defibrillators already in the community remain registered and ready when they are needed most.

If you’re interested in supporting a current project, hosting a defibrillator, or arranging CPR and defibrillator training, we’d love to hear from you via our Contact page.