Local Sports Club and heart charity unite to help create a heartsafe environment

Ashby Road Sports Club, one of the county major sporting venues which provides facilities for a range of multi-sports now boasts a public access defibrillator (PAD) for use during cardiac emergencies.

A major fundraising campaign was launched to raise funds for a PAD which was a huge success thanks to the collective efforts efforts of Hinckley Amateur Cricket team who organised a sponsored run around the sports field, Hinckley Ladies and Ashby Warriors junior football teams who organised a race night, and Ashby Road Sunday team arranging a giant blackout card.

In addition, the club also received a grant from the ECB and support from Leicestershire based heart charity, The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) who provided the PAD cabinet to store the equipment and helped the club to get an AED at a subsidised rate. Hinckley Amateurs Club member and electrician Ed Proctor installed the PAD unit.

Steve Musin, chair of Ashby Road sports Club, said: " I'm so grateful for the fantastic fundraising response by all the sports clubs based at Ashby Road Sports Club to help purchase vital piece of lifesaving equipment. We hope we never have to use it but it will give us peace of mind knowing that should an emergency occur in or around the club's grounds, it will vastly increase the chances of someone surviving. Also, a huge thanks to JHMT who have helped us turn this around in double quick time."

The club members will undergo key CPR and AED familiarisation training led by JHMT.

The Ashby Road Sports club was originally founded in 1957, at that time as a cricket club. Over the years it has grown both in stature and popularity to what it is today. The club play host to Hinckley Amateur Cricket Club which has 3 x senior Saturday teams, 2 x Thursday night cricket, a ladies team and a junior section (u13, u11 plus All Stars), and football teams consisting of u12's (Ashby Warriors), 2 x ladies teams (Hinckley Ladies), a men's Sunday league team (Ashby Road) and a walking football team (50+). The venue also is one of the County's best known wedding and party venues.

Dr Mike Ferguson, JHMT Trustee, said: "Recent events have proven that even the fittest of athletes can have a sudden cardiac arrest and only prompt, effective resuscitation prevented a death. It is within the grasp of players and officials from all sports at all levels of competency to easily learn CPR and AED awareness. Missing out on this opportunity is putting all those involved in sport at risk of dying or suffering serious health problems. Ashby Road Sports Club are showing the way all clubs should look after their players, spectators and everyone attending the facility."

As well as providing free CPR and defibrillator training, the JHMT works hard to raise awareness of sudden heart deaths, helps to provide community defibrillators and runs Inspire, a local grants scheme for inspirational young people.

The Leicestershire charity was set up after the tragic death of Rothley teenager Joe Humphries in 2012, who died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) while out on a run.

You can follow the Trust on Facebook at facebook.com/JHMTorguk and Twitter @JHMTorguk.

For any further information about the recent launch of Ashby Road Sports Club's work to become heart safe please contact Steve Humphries on tel: 07534 293577 or steve@jhmt.org.uk