We are calling on communities across the UK to apply for a free life-saving defibrillator from us, with support from fundraising from our charity partner Royal Mail.

There are 220 defibrillator packages available to the community as part of the Community Defibrillator Fund.

We have said that priority will be given to areas with the greatest need: areas of high poverty and limited access to defibrillators.

The community is invited to apply for a free defibrillator on our website: https://www.bhf.org.uk/defibfunding.

More than 30,000 people in the UK suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, but fewer than one in 10 survive. Without cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation after cardiac arrest, a person’s chances of survival can decrease by up to 10% for every minute he suffers. Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are essential to maximize the chance of survival.

We want everyone to have the best chance of surviving cardiac arrest, no matter where they live.

The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, has more than 79,000 registered defibrillators, but they are not evenly distributed. A recent study supported by the BHF found that people living in the most deprived areas of England and Scotland were, on average, less likely to be able to access the nearest 24/7 defibrillator than those living in the least deprived areas. They were found to be 99 meters and 317 meters apart.

We are concerned that the black spots on these defibrillators are putting lives at risk.

That’s why we hope that, with support from our charity partner Royal Mail, this program will help reduce these defibrillator black spots and improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Masu.

Communities receiving one of these 220 defibrillators will be provided with a defibrillator and cabinet, with installation costs covered if needed. Regions awarded defibrillators can order future replacement parts free of charge when they expire or are used in a rescue.

We ensure that each defibrillator is also registered with the national defibrillator network, The Circuit, so that in the event of cardiac arrest, ambulance services can direct bystanders to the defibrillator. I will make it possible.

“Every second matters”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said: “Every defibrillator has the power to save lives, which is why we are thrilled to be able to fully fund 220 of these lifesaving devices for communities across the UK.”

“When someone goes into cardiac arrest, every second counts. If you perform CPR early and have access to a defibrillator, you have the best chance of survival.

“Research shows that many areas are too far from the nearest defibrillator, so there aren’t enough defibrillators where they are needed most. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. “These devices will make the places you live safer because more communities will have access to lifesaving defibrillators.”

Greg Sage, Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs and ESG at Royal Mail, said: “We are extremely proud that the fundraising efforts of our colleagues across the country are supporting this initiative to ensure communities most in need have access to life-saving equipment. “Through our four-year partnership, Royal Mail We are supporting this scheme with the aim of funding 420 defibrillators.”

Dr Chris Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer in Cardiology at Hull York Medical School and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist who led the study using BHF circuit data, said: We recently highlighted how far each postcode in the UK is from the nearest defibrillator, and how poverty levels affect people’s access. It is great to see BHF leading the way in providing defibrillators to so many communities. ”

We have a long history of funding public access defibrillators for communities. The Nation of Lifesavers scheme has supported the installation of around 3,500 defibrillators in the UK.

We particularly welcome applications from community groups in 10 regions across the UK. Based on available data on defibrillator location from Circuit, the national defibrillator network, these areas have defibrillator black spots.

they are:

1. Atherton, a town in the Borough of Wigan near Manchester (United Kingdom).
2. Birkenhead, a town on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside (England).
3. Morecambe, a seaside town in Lancashire (England).
4. Carlton, St Anne’s, Mapperley and Gedling in the Nottingham area. (England).
5. Drumchapel, a district in the north-west of the city of Glasgow (Scotland).
6. Grangemouth, a town in the Falkirk region (Scotland).
7. Carrickfergus, a large town 18 miles from Belfast (Northern Ireland).
8. Derry – Londonderry, a city of 85,000 people in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland).
9. Merthyr Tydfil, a town in South Wales (Wales) with a population of over 40,000.
10. Bridgend, a town in South Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan Region (Wales).

Apply for DEFIB here