Three residents from East Leake have been recognised by the Royal Humane Society after their quick-thinking actions helped save the life of a fellow allotment holder following a cardiac arrest earlier this year.
Award ceremony
At a special presentation this evening, Andy Brown, Conservative County Councillor for East Leake and Ruddington, presented awards to Stacey Wardle and James and Adele Lapworth for their bravery and determination during the incident at the East Leake allotments on 28 January 2026.
Several allotment committee members and their partners were working on the plots that morning when one committee member suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest near the woodland area at the top of the site.
Swift response
Stacey Wardle immediately called the East Midlands Ambulance Service before running to find James and Adele Lapworth, knowing both were trained in first aid. By the time they reached the casualty, there was no pulse, and James and Adele began CPR, continuing for 23 minutes until emergency services arrived.
While CPR was ongoing, Stacey returned to the scene with her phone before running to the allotment gates at the bottom of the hill to guide emergency crews to the patient's location.
Emergency response
Emergency responders arrived in stages, including first responders, ambulance crews, a Helimed doctor, and police officers. After extensive treatment in difficult muddy conditions, the patient was transported to hospital and has since made a full recovery.
Stacey Wardle received the Royal Humane Society Certificate of Commendation, while James and Adele Lapworth were awarded the Royal Humane Society Certificate of Resuscitation.
Community spirit
Councillor Brown said: “The actions of Stacey, James and Adele were nothing short of extraordinary. Their calmness, courage and determination in an incredibly difficult situation undoubtedly helped save a life. It was an honour to present these awards on behalf of the Royal Humane Society and recognise three local residents who demonstrated the very best of our community spirit.”
Following the incident, a publicly accessible defibrillator will now be installed at the gates of the East Leake allotments to help protect both allotment users and the wider community. Funding for the defibrillator has been provided through Councillor Brown's Community Development Fund.
Councillor Brown added: “This incident showed just how important immediate access to life-saving equipment can be. I'm pleased we've been able to support the installation of a defibrillator at the site, which will be available for public use should it ever be needed.”
