Surrey Cricket Foundation has recently allocated its 20th subsidy for a defibrillator, with a unit being delivered to Hampton Wick Royal CC in the coming weeks.
Over the past 3 years the Foundation has provided £4000 in support to the club network on top of the price reductions already offered by the Club Cricket Charity to ensure that price isn’t a barrier to clubs being able to provide this potentially life saving equipment in clubs. The partnership has now delivered units to Ewhurst, Wonersh, Chobham, Farncombe, Morden, Chipstead, Coulsdon & Walcountians, Tadworth, Merstham, Cheam, Stoke D’Abernon, Bank of England, Valley End, Blindley Heath, Headley Old Freemans, Dulwich, Old Woking, Westcott, Westfield, and Hampton Wick Royal.
Following the successful roll out of the subsidised defibrillators the Foundation has secured an additional £2000 grant from the Foundation Grants Committee in order to extend the scheme for a further 20 clubs with the Club Cricket Charity increasing its subsidy so that further clubs can benefit from the price reduction.
Assistant Director of Cricket Participation, Simon Hards, said, ‘It is well known that early access to an Automated External Defibrillator can significantly increase the survival rates of somebody who has had a cardiac arrest, and this partnership has enabled us to support 20 clubs to ensure they can provide this vital lifesaving equipment should it be needed. It was therefore a really simple decision to extend the partnership for a further 20 clubs over the coming months.’
Trustee of the Club Cricket Charity, Robbie Book, said: ‘We know that cricket clubs want to provide the safest environments for their players. Over the past five years we have – in partnership with the ECB – gone someway into ensuring that this aim can be realised – but there is more work to do. Score Runs, Save Lives has a simple message – if you play cricket, please ensure you have the necessary knowledge, training and facilities needed to save someone’s life. There is only a vital five-minute period before permanent or irreversible damage can occur. A portable defibrillator can be the saviour of an otherwise catastrophic situation.’
If your club is interested in applying for a subsidy towards a defibrillator, please contact your local Participation Officer in the first instance.
