The Hampshire Cricket Foundation (HCF), the charity of Hampshire Cricket and The Ageas Bowl, is launching a ground breaking programme to provide portable defibrillators to Hampshire cricket clubs free of charge.
The Hampshire Cricket Foundation (HCF) is partnering with the Club Cricket Charity (CCC), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Community Heartbeat Trust (CHT) to provide defibrillators worth over £1000 each to cricket clubs in Hampshire at no charge.
This provision, which also includes training, insurance and registration with local emergency services, is part of the Hampshire Cricket Foundation’s Changing Lives Saving Lives initiative which aims to deliver a healthier future for people across the county.
The offer means the cricket club needs to cover ONLY the cost of replacement parts for the device at £126 plus VAT per annum for four years.
Why does your club need a FREE portable defibrillator?
A cardiac arrest (the stoppage of the heart muscle) can be triggered by many factors: a heart attack; an undiagnosed heart condition; a ball hitting batsman or fielder in the chest or on the head. It can affect any age group from teenage to pensioner, and all between; player and spectator alike. A cardiac arrest can be fatal if treatment is not commenced within five minutes of the collapse of the patient. Many cricket teams play on cricket fields where professional help may not arrive within this very short timescale, but there is a potential solution by using the portable defibrillator - which gives an electric shock to ”reboot” the heart - whilst awaiting professional help. We all hope that this piece of equipment never needs to be used, but there is ample evidence that it saves lives.
How the Hampshire Cricket Foundation FREE Cricket Club Defibrillator Scheme works