12 Manchester schools get lifesaving defibrillators to launch latest defibrillator campaign for Charity
Lifesaving defibrillators will be placed in 12 local Manchester schools to help kick start the latest defibrillator campaign by Hand on Heart Charity as part of a project to protect school children, staff and visitors from one of the UK’s biggest killers – sudden cardiac arrest.
The Brian Kennedy Trust is partnering with the charity Hand on Heart to place the automated external defibrillators (AEDs), including training packages aimed to teach not just staff but students in basic life skills and how to use the defibrillator into high schools, primary and special schools within the area. Staff and students from Trinity C of E, Grange, Piper Hill High, Mauldeth Raod, St Lukes CE Primary, Wilbraham, All Saints, St James, Heald Place, Claremont Primary schools and Castlefield and Wythenshawe Campus’s attended a presentation which was held yesterday Wednesday 8th July at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, and received their packages from Linda Miles, Director of BKT.
She commented “The Brian Kennedy Trust are delighted to be in a position to support Hand on Heart by funding a number of defibrillators for schools in Manchester. We were initially surprised to learn from Hand on Heart that 12 young people in the UK alone die due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest and we sincerely hope that the provision of these defibrillators will prevent any tragedy from occurring in these schools. Our vision is to give all children a fair and equal opportunity to thrive and enjoy life to the full and we trust that our funding will enable this to happen”.
As a national charity placing defibrillators and training in schools across the country, this something that Hand on Heart are committed to reducing. The charity hopes to replicate their success in making their first Heart Safe city of Salford carry over into their newest campaign area of Manchester.
An estimated 60,000 people die every year in the UK after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and using an AED with CPR can increase the chance of someone surviving a from 6% to up to 74%.
Victoria Burrows, Hand on Heart Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted have the support of the Brian Kennedy Trust on what represents a huge commitment to make all 175 schools in the Manchester area Heart Safe. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the UK’s biggest killers and every second counts, so having defibrillators in the schools ready and available for anyone to use in the event of an emergency is vital”.
We urge all Manchester schools get in touch with us, to allow us to help them become Heart Safe.
