The Grassroots Defibrillator Programme supported by Red Sky Foundation are looking to provide 100 grassroots football locations with a FREE Defibrillator.

The program is looking to help provide life saving defibrillators to clubs and venues that regularly host football games for multiple teams and ages groups. The SDFL have recently helped to support the installation of a defibrillator at a number of Swindon grassroots football grounds at Mannington Rec, Southbrook Playing Fields & Seven Fields.

You can read more about this amazing initiative as well as applying for a free defibrillator, by visiting the Team Grassroots website.

Sergio Petrucci, Co-founder of Red Sky Foundation:

“Our daughter was given a second chance receiving specialist cardiac care when she needed it most but now she is 100 percent fit and healthy. It’s time for us to focus on the other children who are born with, or who might develop a heart condition.

Grassroots football is a perfect way for us to help kickstart the scheme. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone of any age and what we’re doing at this level of football is to help protect children as well as adults in the event of a medical emergency by having a defibrillator as near as possible.

“Using early CPR and defibrillation on a person in sudden cardiac arrest can increase their chances of survival from seven percent to over 75 percent so it’s vital that every club possible in the UK has access to a defibrillator via the Grassroots Defibrillator Programme.”

Paul Kirton, Founder of Team Grassroots

“It’s great to see our Grassroots Defibrillator Programme getting such high profile attention – and we hope to keep the momentum going with ambitions to get as many of the units as possible out into lots of sporting locations.

Red Sky Foundation’s incredibly generous donation will help clubs play with confidence and give them the peace of mind knowing that life-saving equipment can be made available, should it be required.

“The NHS and UK Government’s defibrillator fund has overlooked grassroots football clubs, which are not eligible for funding, so the demand for the equipment is huge. Previously we have received over 5,000 applications for 100 defibrillators, confirming the demand and lack of affordability amongst grassroots clubs who continue to struggle through to keep clubs afloat.”

All defibrillators allocated to clubs via the Grassroots Defibrillator Programme will come with an additional free life-saving CPR and defibrillator session for as many people who wish to attend, courtesy of Red Sky Foundation.