The Coaching Manual have set up the Grassroots Defibrillator Fund in order to provide life-saving equipment for football clubs - and kicking it off with £1,000!
Earlier this week we announced that we are launching a campaign to improve cardiac emergency preparedness in grassroots football. As part of this campaign, we want to ensure all coaches have the appropriate training and education to respond to a cardiac emergency, as well as improving access to Automated External Defibrillators (AED) - especially for clubs who lack the funds required.
To kickstart the fund, a team from The Coaching Manual's head office will be running the Manchester Half Marathon on October 10.
Made up of TCM staff from sales, marketing, customer service, and tech, the team will be aiming to raise funds to buy AEDs for as many grassroots clubs as possible.
We will determine the beneficiary clubs using a set of criteria that ensures we are helping those most in need, details of which will follow, but in the meantime you can donate to the Grassroots Defibrillator Fund here.
The most important thing you can do is educate yourself and other members of your football club on the actions to be taken in the event of a cardiac emergency.
The FA has a number of resources on their website here including a Sudden Cardiac Arrest course you can take for free using your FA account.
FIFA also has a number of guides dedicated to recognising the signs of a cardiac arrest, as well as the steps that should be taken to treat a player who is suffering from one. Familiarise yourself with the resources here.
You can read more about defibrillators and learn which might be right for your club on the St John's Ambulance website here.