Leatherhead & District Lions Club

The message in a bottle scheme, which was launched by the Leatherhead Lions in Mole Valley six months ago has aimed to do just this. Elderly and vulnerable people can pick up the small plastic bottle free of charge. It contains a short form which can be filled in with the person's medical information. Once completed it can be kept in the bottle along with a copy of the most recent prescriptions. This is then placed in the fridge and a sticker on the door will alert the emergency services that the information is stored inside.

Newdigate resident, Joy Smith, had first-hand experience with the bottles. She discovered a friend had collapsed in their home but knew the bottle was stored in the fridge. "It does saves lot of hassle," she said. "It is stressful enough finding someone in that state, but knowing you can just find the bottle and give it to the ambulance crews is brilliant. Once you hand it over you know you have done all you can".

Since the launch of the scheme, the Leatherhead Lions have been delighted with its success. Lions' co-ordinator, Peter Addison, estimates that so far about 12,000 bottles have been distributed to doctors' surgeries, chemists and Help Shops. "I think it Is such a brilliant scheme. I heard about it and knew it was bound to be a success."

Mark Hodsall, locality support officer from Leatherhead's Ambulance Station agrees, and said: "To have this information to hand is vital. If the person is confused or unconscious it can be difficult to find out the facts. Sometimes we have to go through address books to find the patient's next of kin, or ring their surgery to find out details. With this scheme, straight away we can get the Information we need.

Mr Hodsall said he and his colleagues check the fridges now for the bottles. "We have to take someone into hospital with a name, so this scheme is ideal for the elderly and vulnerable people."

Bookham resident, Jenny Goddard, wife of the late Ron Goddard, who was a Leatherhead Lion, has carried on her husband's good work. She is responsible for supplying the doctors' surgeries in the Bookham and Fetcham area with the bottles."We're always trying to get as many people as possible interested," she said. Her husband Ron worked in the packaging industry and, following his death, a Dutch bottle manufacturing company, Kornelis, with whom he had worked, agreed to sponsor the initial order. Eleven thousand bottles were delivered to Mr Addison but soon after another 8,000 were ordered. He said: "I feel the undoubted success of the scheme is due to its simplicity. It is becoming apparent that many bottles are now accompanying patients arriving with the ambulance crews in the A&E departments of Redhill and Epsom Hospitals. By having instant access to accurate information, the doctors, nurses and paramedics will be in a better position to plan an appropriate course of action following an emergency call out."