A group of 15 coaches and staff from Quorn Juniors Football Club has become the latest to learn vital life-saving skills courtesy of local charity the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT).

The club has recently had a new community-access public defibrillator installed, close to both the club's football pitches and Rawlins Academy in Quorn. Club funds of £700 were provided for the defibrillator to be installed; JHMT then provided a £300 grant for the club to buy an external defibrillator box.

Now club members have learnt cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques and how to use a defibrillator, thanks to training sessions organised by JHMT.

The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust was set up to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart conditions such as SADS (sudden arrhythmic death syndrome), which can strike seemingly fit and healthy young people without any warning.

As part of this, the charity is passionate about ensuring young people participate in sports in a 'heart safe' environment, where people know what symptoms to look out for, are equipped with basic CPR skills, there is quick access to defibrillator and, crucially, people around who know how to use it.

SADS can sometimes – but not always – be triggered by the physical exertion of sport. It can cause any underlying problem to show up.

The Joe's Mini Heart Start For Sports Clubs training was delivered by former cardiac nurse Alan Harrison-White from JHMT, following the principles of the British Heart Foundation's HeartStart programme, which teaches people emergency life support skills.

Scott Sharman, Quorn Juniors' under-7s coach, said: "It's great to have this defibrillator on site because it gives everyone, including members and parents, added reassurance that should there ever be a cardiac emergency, the club is prepared and equipped to deal with a life-threatening situation.

"Because it's in a secure cabinet on an outside wall, the defibrillator will also be available 24/7 to the community in an emergency. But it's just as important that people know how to use it.

"We were really pleased when the Trust offered to help us to get trained up in CPR and how to use a defibrillator."

Alan Harrison-White from the trust added: "We teach a variety of emergency life support skills. They are not difficult to learn, but they really could mean the vital difference between life and death. We want to see as many people as possible who are involved in local sports clubs getting trained up in this way."

Joe Humphries died in October 2012, aged 14, whilst returning home from a training run near his home in Rothley. Since then, his family and friends have campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of SADS and for more people to be trained in vital life-saving skills.

Any sports clubs wanting to register their interest in the free Joe's Mini Heart Start For Sports Clubs training can email charles.poole@ntlworld.com

More information on the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust can be found at www.jhmt.org.uk