The chairman of a junior football club in West Cumbria has revealed that his club is prepared for cardiac emergencies, with a defibrillator on site.
Des Wright, the chairman of Cockermouth Junior Football Club, confirmed that defibrillator equipment is available for emergency situations, at the club's facility on Tarn Close.
The importance of the need for the life-saving equipment at clubs such as his is something that is particularly pertinent following the events involving Denmark star Christian Eriksen last weekend at Euro 2020.
The Inter Milan midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest while on the pitch in Copenhagen and was successfully resuscitated on the pitch with a defibrillator being administered by medical staff.
Mr Wright stated: "Defibrillators are essential pieces of kit as we saw with what happened at the weekend. The challenge for local clubs, however, is that they are expensive. And so we have aspirations of having one for a while.
He reveals that construction group Morgan Sindall were central to the installation of the equipment, with their Senior Operations Manager Andrew Tarran leading the charge after personal experience of its importance.
"Andy, in particular, showed passion and drive to ensure it was installed after his friend’s son was resuscitated using one."
Mr Wright is now calling on the Government and the FA to ensure clubs across the country are supplied with life-saving equipment.
"The Government and FA should do more to ensure that everyone is kept safe and that defibrillators are there and ready at clubs up and down the country."
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