Heart disease is Scotland's biggest killer, and we hope to raise thousands of pounds to buy life-saving defibrillators and to provide community training so a team of volunteers can help keep hearts beating.
Linlithgow Provost Tom Kerr said: ''I congratulate the Gazette for running this worthwhile campaign for defibrillators.
''These are very useful when on hand quickly and are one of the most important pieces of equipment first responders can have in a life threatening situation.
''I fully support this and hope that the people in the three communities, in particular Linlithgow, get behind this. I am sure the schools will support it and I certainly give it my full support.''
Local Queensferry councillor and Lord Provost of Edinburgh, George Grubb, said: ''I wholeheartedly support the Have a Heart campaign to bring a defibrillator to Queensferry. This life-saving heart-start equipment would be indispensable for the local community.''
The Lord Provost added: ''No doubt there will be lots of creative fund-raising ideas for this tremendously worthwhile campaign, and I would like to wish all the fundraisers every success.''
Provost Pat Reid, whose authority covers Bo'ness, said: ''This is a very worthwhile cause and one which I hope the whole community will support.
''Heart disease touches so many families, and a campaign to raise both awareness of life-saving services, and money to place these within our communities, is a very generous idea indeed.
''I would urge everyone to get involved and have fun raising cash for the Have a Heart campaign.''
Working in partnership with British Heart Foundation Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service we want to put this vital heart-start equip-ment into all three towns.
The campaign is off to a flying start thanks to the Round Table of Bo'ness and Linlithgow. Both groups donated £100 each to kick-start the fund.
Paul Hopwood of Linlithgow Round Table said: ''We are always looking for a chance to help our local community. All the money we raise is from the generosity of the people of Linlithgow and it's great we can be involved in such a good cause.''
Stuart McAllister of Bo'ness Round Table said: ''Bo'ness Round Table is delighted to support such a novel life-preserving community project, thanks to the generosity of our residents.''
Barbara Osborne, BHF Scotland's head of volun-teer fundraising, said: ''British Heart Found-ation Scotland welcomes this appeal. With more of these life-saving pieces of equipment in public places, and more people trained to use them, more lives can be saved."
A defibrillator is a machine which gives a controlled electric shock to an individual when their heart stops or goes into an irregular rhythm.
A fully trained volunteer will stick the leads onto a person's chest and the machine does the rest, giving them the best possible hope of survival.
Some defibrillators may go to central locations, others may go to a team of on-call first responders, who volunteer along the same lines as retained firefighters. The machines are simple to use, and training will be given to local volunteers. It costs £1500 to buy each defibrillator – and this is where we need your help.
If your office, school, community group or family pledges to raise a minimum of £50 we'll publish your story and picture. Maybe you can hold a Braveheart-style dress down day in the office, take part in a keep-fit challenge at school or sell heart-shaped cake and candy. Call our editorial team on (01506) 844592 and we'll do our best to cover your event.
If you do raise money please post it to: The Journal and Gazette Charity Fund, The Royal Bank of Scotland, High Street, Linlithgow, EH49, sort code 83-24-25, account number 00251271, or you can hand it in at any branch, quoting the sort code and account number.
Any money raised in excess of the appeal target will be used to support BHF Scotland's other activities in the fight against heart disease.
editorial@journalandgazette.co.uk