London Hearts are delighted to announce that they have teamed up with MP99 Remember The Name to help provide every sports referee in the country with a lifesaving defibrillator and prompt much needed change to pitch-side medical support.
On 25th February 2023, Michael Palmer, 23, collapsed and tragically died on the pitch at Crowland FC after suffering a cardiac arrest. Sadly, despite what so many people did to help, there was no defibrillator pitch side and it took 8 minutes for a defibrillator to be obtained in the area.
There are unfortunately more than 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests across the UK every year and survival rates are extremely poor – only around 3%.
Defibrillators (also known as AEDs – Automatic External Defibrillators) are medical devices that help and support a patient in cardiac arrest. In fact, they are the ONLY devices that can help when someone has a cardiac arrest. If a heart defibrillator is used within 3-5mins of a cardiac arrest, the chances of survival increases from 6% to a huge 74%.
Michael’s dad, Mike, along with Keeley Cole of Crowland FC set up a crowdfunding page in Michaels memory, to raise money towards mobile defibrillators for local sports teams in Lincolnshire, which can be taken to every game they attend whether that be football, rugby, tennis, cricket etc.
But what started with the target of £2,000 has now generated into over an incredible £12,000 in donations due to the amount of local support the family has received.
His family said the young man, who was from Holbeach, “loved his friends, his family, and his colleagues”, with there being an outpouring of love from his area since his passing.
“With a strong sense of duty, Michael wanted the best for those around him, and nothing was too much to ask.
Michael, who also played for Whaplode Drove Rovers, was a fan of Manchester United which was his “first love”.
“It is therefore fitting that Michael’s passing, notwithstanding the pain for those he leaves behind, was on the grassy velvet of the football pitch he so adored,” the statement added.
London Hearts, the leading heart defibrillator charity in the UK, were moved by Michaels story and instantly offered their support to get this initiative in motion. With the help of their charity grant funding, they want to ensure that referee’s obtain high quality defibrillator equipment and that they have access to on demand online defibrillator awareness training.
In addition to funding mobile defibrillators to sports clubs across the UK, MP99 Remember The Name plan to launch an extensive training programme for sports clubs and referee’s so more people can potentially step in and save a life.
London Hearts are beyond honoured that they can help supply such lifesaving equipment to support MP99 Remember The Name and assist Michael’s family spread awareness of pitch side defibrillators and sudden cardiac arrest.
“Michael was a man of fervour and commitment, but with humility and confidence in equal measure, and a friend, coach and mentor to many. His passing will leave a void that can never be filled but we hope it’s a small comfort to Mike and his family to know that by providing referees with this essential equipment, we can save lives and make Michael proud. – Mike Palmer, Michael’s Father.
“Michael’s loss will be forever felt, and as our hurt fades to scars, his light will shine the brightest in our galaxy of stars. And though we will move forward, we can take solace in our pain, that Michael will never be forgotten, and we will all remember his name.”
You can support this initiative by donating to Mike’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-palmer-mp99
If you are in the Lincolnshire area and are interested in CPR and defibrillator awareness training, please email enquiries@mp99.org.uk
Anyone wishing to receive a defibrillator for their sports club, please email Mike.palmer@mp99.org.uk
After only installing the defibrillator for their local mosque just last December, on Friday 3rd February, Bury Park Masjid in Luton helped a young man defy the odds and overcome a sudden cardiac arrest at their place of worship.
Incredibly, having recently provided a CPR and defibrillator awareness session for their local community the previous Sunday, two individuals present were able to immediately begin CPR and administer the AED on the 27 year old.
After approximately 2 shocks from the defibrillator obtained through the charity, the young man’s heart was bought back to a normal rhythm. Thankfully, he was well enough to walk himself to the ambulance!
Cardiac arrest does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone, any time, and even to extremely healthy individuals. If a heart defibrillator is used and CPR is performed within 3-5 mins of cardiac arrest, their chance of survival increases from 6 to 74%
The Defibrillator we supply which is ideal for people of all ages is the advanced dual functioning Mindray C1A Defibrillator. Not only does this model carry out daily self-diagnostic tests, meaning maintenance is extremely limited but more importantly this model can be applied to both an adult and a child at the flick of a switch rather than having to waste time changing the pads.
Thankfully, this gentleman is now recovering well, and Bury Park are now sharing his story to highlight why it is essential for all religious buildings to install defibrillators onsite.
Local representative of Bury Park Mosque, Syed Hussain said: “ There is no doubt that without the machine the chances of survival would have been slim. This is the first time ever in the history of our mosque this had happened, who knew that after purchasing it we would need it so so soon. We are now currently pushing all our places of worship to install one.”
There are more than 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests across the UK every year but less than one in ten people survive. The more defibrillators that are accessible, and the more people trained in how to use them, the better the chance of survival for someone who suddenly collapses from of a cardiac arrest. But sadly, only 15% of the public would feel very confident using a defibrillator.
London Hearts is a charity aiming to help and support communities with the provision of heart defibrillators and teaching CPR/defibrillator skills. London Hearts can provide Charity Grant Funding towards the cost of a defibrillator and storage as well as a FREE online training video.
With survival falling by around 10% every minute without CPR, it’s vital you know the skills to try and save a life. One day someone you love might need help.
We welcome applications from any individual, organisation or charity around the UK! Apply online here
Have a project in mind? Give us a call on 02070432493 or drop us an email at info@londonhearts.org
Havering Royals Youth FC has received a donated, lifesaving heart defibrillator thanks to our Charity Grant Funding and the fundraising event carried out by Dr Gant at Spurs FC, who undertook the Ride for Ugo Fundraiser.
Highly respected former Premier League player, England international and progressive young coach, Ugo Ehiogu passed away from cardiac arrest in 2017.
Last April saw the fifth anniversary of Ugo’s passing and to celebrate his life, over five days, Laurence cycled between all the football clubs that Ugo played for. Laurence and his wife raised an incredible £18,085 to provide heart defibrillators and CPR training to grassroots football.
During the challenge, Laurence started at Glasgow Rangers, then Middlesbrough, Leeds United, Sheffield United and arrived at Aston Villa on 9th April. The final leg of the journey included cycling from Villa Park to the Club’s training centre, Hotspur Way.
Laurence said: “Ugo was a great believer in helping others but also in the power of football. Football is an amazing sport that not only allows people to exercise, but to also join a community providing support and help to others. If the unimaginable happens, the presence of a defibrillator increases your chance of survival from 6% to 74%… Together, we can #DoSomethingKind
Jo Lovell, Operations Manager at London Hearts, said: “We are incredibly proud to support Laurence on his momentous challenge. London Hearts is the UK’s largest charity specialising in the procurement and supply of life-saving heart defibrillators. We are extremely grateful to Laurence and his wife Catherine who raised funds for London Hearts, with all proceeds going towards providing heart defibrillators across the country.
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Ugo believed in helping others, and in his now-famous last tweet, even encouraged people to do #DoSomethingKind. London Hearts are delighted we could help make a local grassroots football club become a little more heart-safe, in memory of Ugo’s legacy.
According to the FIFA Sudden Death Registry (FIFA-SDR), the incidence of sudden cardiac death in football players under the age of 35 is around 1-2 per 100,000 athletes per year. It was also reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that around 63% of the cases of sudden cardiac arrest on the football pitch occurred in the last six years of the study period.
These stats further support the need for not only accessible, lifesaving defibrillators in clubs like Havering Royals Youth FC but also increased training and understanding of SCA in football overall.
We welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK, so if you’re looking to install a defibrillator, apply online here.
Have a project in mind? Give us a call on 02070432493 or drop us an email at info@londonhearts.org
Pen Y Cymoedd’s 76 wind turbines produces enough electricity to power 15% of Welsh homes annually. Now they’re helping to sustain the power of Welsh hearts in over 78 locations in Wales.
There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year and, without immediate treatment, 90 to 95 per cent of sudden cardiac arrest victims will die.
Survival increases by 67 percent with immediate access to a life-saving defibrillator, but until January 2023, there were not enough public access defibrillators in Wales or trained people to give victims the best chance of survival during those first few critical minutes.
As a result, The Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund and Calon Hearts embarked on a ground breaking initiative at the beginning of 2022 by installing 78 public access defibrillators in the upper reaches of the Neath, Afan, Cynon and Rhondda Valleys in the fund area of benefit.
The independent Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund CIC is responsible for managing the £1.8 million a year Fund set up by energy company Vattenfall, the operator of the wind farm.
To kick off the project, Calon Hearts and local community group RCT Heart Heroes contacted communities, local cllrs and other community members to map out what currently is in situ in these areas and the need, identifying 78 locations across all towns and villages that it would be most beneficial to install a defibrillator, including community buildings and private businesses.
“The fund has awarded funds for several defibrillators with community groups and buildings in first few years but recognising that we could be more proactive we approached Calon Heart Screening and Defibrillators Wales and working with them we have funded the installation of 78 public access defibrillators across the fund area. All of the defibrillators are accessible to the public and will be registered on the Circuit” – Kate Breeze, Executive Director at PyC Wind Farm Community Fund.
Accessibility to a defibrillator is key to saving a life. Each minute that is wasted reduces the chances of saving that life by 10%. Calon Hearts Screening and Defibrillators Wales aims to improve accessibility and availability of lifesaving defibrillators in Wales, which in turn will help improve number of out of hospital cardiac arrest deaths.
“Calon Hearts have arranged installation using local electricians. They also offered free defibrillator training sessions across the towns and villages to ensure the community is aware of and confident enough to use if an emergency situation were to happen. Accessibility to a defibrillator is key to saving a life and as a fund we are pleased to have been able to work in partnership to ensure there are accessible defibrillators in all the fund area villages and towns.” – Kate Breeze added.
London Hearts are beyond honoured that they could help supply lifesaving equipment to support Calon Hearts and PYC to spread awareness of public access defibrillators and cardiac arrest in Wales.
Kimberley at Calon Hearts added – “We are delighted to have partnered up with PYC Wind Farm and London Hearts on this amazing life-saving initiative, placing 78 public access defibrillators in strategic locations as well as teaching these communities lifesaving skills. With early discussions with PYC going back to 2021, it became apparent that this project was much needed given the gaps and the lack of public access defibrillators in certain areas.”
The unit supplied to the intiative is the advanced and dual functioning Mindray Beneheart C1A defibrillator model. Not only does this model carry out daily self-diagnostic tests, meaning maintenance is extremely limited but more importantly this model can be applied to both an adult and a child at the flick of a switch rather than having to waste time changing the pads
“I cannot thank PYC and Kate Breeze enough for their commitment and hard work in this ground breaking project. I hope these public access defibrillators will never be needed but it is reassuring for these communities that if the worst was ever to happen, these devices will be on hand to save a person’s life.
I would also like to put on record our thanks to David Healy and Steve Davies from @RCT Heart Heroes. This project would not have been possible without their dedication, hard work and unlimited hours of finding suitable locations to providing community sessions. I would also like to say a massive thank you to Livvingale Electricians and ALG Electricians, who assisted with the installations.” Kimberley noted.
London Hearts is the leading defibrillator charity in the UK, supplying to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They ensure that communities obtain the correct defibrillator equipment and athat storage cabinets meet the correct standards, conforming to health and safety and electrical safety requirements.
We welcome applications for charity grant funding from any organisation or fundraiser around the UK! Apply online here
Have a project in mind? Give us a call on 02070432493 or drop us an email at info@londonhearts.org
Many organisations work with London Hearts to raise funds for the installation of defibrillators, so that fewer people are affected by fatal cardiac arrest. In this wholesome story, we explore how Accord Marketing raised funding for defibrillators and what inspired them to do so.
Read more about their wonderful efforts in memory of their colleague. If you’re looking to get started with a project of your own, head to our fundraising page to learn more.
In memory of a much-loved colleague, Mark John, who passed away, Accord Marketing undertook several challenges to raise funding for a defibrillator. The challenges included Tough Mudder, a football tournament, the Three Peaks Challenge, a South West coastal path walk and a quiz night to reach their lifesaving target of 10 London Hearts defibrillators.
As well as this, in October, Becky Shields completed her first marathon in aid of London Hearts. Read on to learn more about Mark’s story.
Mark John passed away on 31 October 2021, aged 47, following a cardiac arrest. He had been an integral part of the Accord family for almost 30 years. At the time of his death, he was Chief Creative Officer of Accord Marketing. He was also married to Sharon and father to Emily and Katie.
There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the UK every year, but fewer than 1 in 10 people survive. London Hearts is the leading defibrillator charity in the UK, placing defibrillators in communities and delivering CPR and defibrillator training. This means more people have access to their nearest defibrillators.
A huge shout-out to Accord’s south west office, who have secured a £750 donation from the team at the Barnstaple and District Round Table, as well as other generous donations from other local businesses, in order to install a defibrillator.
A defibrillator is the only device that can help someone when they are in cardiac arrest, and London Hearts set out to get more in the community to ensure no one is ever more than 100 metres away from their nearest defibrillator.
The more defibrillators that are accessible and the more people trained in how to use them, the better the chance of survival for someone who suddenly collapses. Learn how you can get involved in a fundraising project to raise defibrillator costs below.
All donations, however small, will take them one step closer to achieving their mission to raise £10,000 to purchase defibrillators and place them within local communities. If you would like to support their efforts, please head to their GoFundMe page here.
If you belong to, or know of, a sports club that desperately needs a defibrillator, or perhaps a theatre or youth club, then please contact gail.norman@accordmarketing.com so that they can be considered.
You can also get involved in an array of other activities, such as setting up a corporate partnership or getting started with your own project.
London Hearts wants to ensure that nobody is further than 100M from a fully working and publicly accessible defibrillator across the whole of the UK. Together, we can save lives and beat heartbreak. If you want to get started with a fundraising project, read some more of our articles for inspiration.
We welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK! Apply online for a defibrillator here to get started. If you save a life using a Mindray Beneheart Defibrillator obtained through the London Hearts charity, we will send you free defibrillator pads.
If you have a project in mind, you can also contact us or give us a call on 02070432493.
It was a pleasure to meet the team behind Stedall at the Euro Bus Exhibition 2022 in Birmingham yesterday as they showcased some exciting new developments.
In July 2022, London Hearts established a partnership with Stedall Vehicle Fittings Ltd to arm the passenger carrying and commercial vehicle sector against the dangers of cardiac arrest in a new innovative way.
The Mindray C1A is IP55 water-/dust-proof rated and meets the standards for helicopter and other transport.
The AED is supplied with a polycarbonate mounting cradle and includes a switch that can be connected to a buzzer to alert the driver that the AED has been removed from its normal mounting position. The strap has an 80KG breaking strain.
We are honoured to team up with Stedall to create this powerful line of defence against cardiac arrest in the UK.
Strategic partnerships are an excellent way to blend your business objectives and our knowledge together to improve defibrillator coverage and make a real difference.
Every week, 12 people under the age of 35 die from sudden cardiac arrest. Every day, there are 200 cardiac arrest incidents in the UK; those that do not occur in a hospital are 90-95% likely to result in death because of a lack of immediate treatment.
That’s why London Hearts is dedicated to making sure that more people have access to their nearest defibrillator.
In this heartwarming story, you can find out about Lisa Tavendale’s fundraising efforts in memory of her brother, Craig, who suffered from a familial heart condition that her son Angus has. So, she decided to start raising funds for defibrillators in Angus’ schools.
If you have a defibrillator fundraising idea yourself, make sure to get in touch with London Hearts to get started.
Quick defibrillation is required to increase the chance of survival during cardiac arrest. Considering that most genetic heart conditions that cause sudden death are undiagnosed, we strongly believe it is essential that all schools are fitted with a defibrillator.
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone. A person who has had a cardiac arrest loses 10% of their chance of survival with every minute that passes without a defibrillator. That’s why it is essential that we improve access to defibrillators across the UK.
Lisa Tavendale is now raising money to cover the cost of installing defibrillators in memory of her brother, Craig Valentine, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly after having a cardiac arrest at home in April. This was due to a heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, a familial heart condition that Lisa herself, her mother, and potentially Lisa’s son (aged 4) suffer from as well.
Lisa said: “Craig was an amazing person with the kindest heart and I know he would be so proud of the work we are doing to help ensure that lives are saved.
“The effect that this situation has had on myself and my family is heartbreaking, and we are determined to ensure that this tragedy is one of the last of its kind, so in memory of Craig we aim to raise enough money to ensure that there are defibrillators in all of Angus’ schools.”
The latest London Hearts defibrillator that Lisa successfully funded has been installed at Borrowfield Primary School – pictured below.
We are always honoured to support and help supply lifesaving devices to such inspiring causes as Lisa’s.
As a leading defibrillator charity in the UK, we want to ensure that nobody is further than 100m from a fully working and publicly accessible defibrillator, across the whole of the UK.
Together, we can increase the chances of people being able to easily access their nearest defibrillator.
You can donate to Lisa’s Just Giving page here, and if you are inspired by Lisa’s fundraising story, why not ensure that your premises have access to the nearest defibrillator? You can apply for a defib and help us save lives.
We welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK for any life-saving equipment, such as a CPR machine and more.
For inspiration on projects you can get involved in with this equipment, make sure to check out more of our articles.
Looking to get started on a project? Give us a call on 02070432493 or contact us today.
A bereaved mum’s tireless campaign to bring an ambulance station and an A&E department back to Rugby and install more Publicly Accessible Defibrillators (PADs) across the town is going from strength to strength thanks to numerous fund-raisers – including a nerve-shredding skydive.
Naomi Rees Issitt’s 18-year-old son Jamie ‘Jay’ Rees died in January after he had a cardiac arrest in the early hours of New Year’s Day. The nearest ambulance, in Coventry, took over 17 minutes to reach him, and there was no PAD in the vicinity.
Since then, she has spearheaded the ‘OurJay’ campaign to prevent similar tragedies in the future – and even jumped out of a aeroplane alongside sister Xavana and brother in law Ben to boost funds, raising £1600 in the process.
She said: “Myself and Xavana were very nervous, but we are so glad to have been able to do this for Jamie.
“The sky was beautiful from where we jumped, and it was nice to think that Jamie made it like that for us.
“We had never done a skydive before but Jamie had always wanted to do one. I’m not sure I’d want to do it again though!”
Naomi’s campaign has now raised over £42,000 since its launch in Februrary – enough to fund 30 defibrillators, with 15 already installed at locations including Newbold Rugby Club, Salisbury Tae Kwon Do, Elliott’s Field Shopping Park and Rugby School.
A fund-raising race night raised over £10,000, and over £5,000 was raised at a charity bingo night – while the coffers have been further boosted by a £5,000 donation from Share Haulage, and £1,250 from the Rugby Rotary Club.
Naomi, who says she is ‘blown away’ by the support her campaign has received, is continuing to press for services to return to St Cross Hospital – with her petition to bring A&E and ambulances back to Rugby attracting over 11,000 signatures so far.
She said delays in ambulance response times were ‘proving catastrophic’ since the Rugby Community Ambulance Station – the base of the only ambulance which started and ended its shift in Rugby – closed in 2021.
She said: “Had there been ambulances stationed in Rugby, or transferring patients to an A&E department in Rugby, Jamie could have been reached in less than seven minutes, increasing his chance of survival by more than 56 per cent.
“Jay would have had a chance of survival and our beautiful boy may still have been here with us today.
“Rugby’s population is fast growing. People are dying waiting for ambulances. The town is too big not to have emergency services. It simply cannot carry on. More lives will be lost.
“We need to show just how much this means to the people of Rugby. Something has to change.”
The OurJay Foundation website is due to launch on November 5 – which would have been Jamie’s 19th birthday.
Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ourjay donate to the defibrillator fund-raising campaign.
We welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK! Apply online here
Have a project in mind? Give us a call on 02070432493 or drop us an email at info@londonhearts.org
The awards recognise people or groups who go above and beyond in the communities in which they live.
DS43 Community Defibrillators, created after the sad death of Danny Shurmer in Hartlepool last year, is teaming up with the North East Ambulance Service to show people how to use and access defibrillators in an emergency.
Volunteer Kelly Cairns:” We didn’t begin this journey for awards our aim was and still is to place everyone in Hartlepool within 500m of a public access defibrillator. This would not be possible without our fantastic group of guardians who look after our defibrillators making sure they are emergency ready as much as possible. To Mark Carter and the team at M.A.C Electrical for installing the units completely free of charge. And to all of YOU, the fantastic community of Hartlepool, your donations, fundraising and support is outstanding and we thank each and every one of you. We also thank the person/people for nominating us and making tonight possible.”
The group has raised over £60,000 to provide almost 30 defibrillators across Hartlepool in just one year.It’s always an absolute pleasure to supply you with such lifesaving equipment for Hartlepool.
Thank you for choosing London Hearts and congratulations!
We welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK! Apply online here
Have a project in mind? Give us a call on 02070432493 or drop us an email at info@londonhearts.org
On #WorldHeartDay2022, the Holywood Steiner School welcomed the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Karen Douglas, to their school to unveil the new defibrillator kindly donated by the PFA.
It was a joyous occasion, made all the more special by the involvement of Rosa, who was set to undergo a heart procedure, and her mother, Aoife. Big thanks to all in Class 6 and teacher Trish for the ‘wet on wet’ piece of art and line drawing of the school, which is now hanging in the Mayor’s Parlour.
The pupils raised almost £100 on the day by wearing red and donating to the Children’s Heartbeat Trust. This went towards the installation of the nearest defibrillator.
Cardiac arrest statistics are alarming and not confined to persons of an older age. If an adult or a child goes into cardiac arrest without a defibrillator, there is only a 7% chance of survival. That is why defibrillator charity funding is so crucial, as it’s important to have more defibrillators in areas that can lead to more lives being saved.
There are more than 3,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests per year. This makes funding for defibrillators very important, as having more defibrillators available in public places will save more lives. This is why charities like the Children’s Heartbeat Trust are so crucial.
Anyone can get involved with fundraising by checking out our fundraising page and you can also learn how to apply for a defibrillator on our website.
If you want to set up or raise funding for a London Hearts defibrillator, we welcome applications from any organisation or charity around the UK! If you have a project in mind, you can contact us by giving us a call us on 02070432493 or emailing us at info@londonhearts.org.
Make sure to check out more of our articles for more inspirational defibrillator stories.
