JHMT teams up with Leicester City in the Community - one GOAL - a heartsafe community for all
Posted: Thu, 21 Nov 2019
The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) is working with Leicester City in the Community to provide vital life-saving training to youth clubs
JHMT is carrying out CPR & defibrillator training at the Premier League Kick sessions run by Leicester City in the Community. These sessions work with young people aged eight to 18 and run every week at community venues in the city and county.
The Trust is a charity which works hard to raise awareness of sudden heart deaths, in memory of Rothley teenage Joe Humphries, who died of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), aged 14, while out jogging near his home.
JHMT trustee Dr Mike Ferguson, who also carries out CPR training for the Trust, said: "We're delighted to be working with Leicester City in the Community to ensure that more community sports teams and groups are heartsafe.
"Anyone can be a life-saver by learning a few simple skills which could mean the difference between life and death.
"We want to make sure as many young people as possible have these life-saving skills, so that it becomes the norm to have them. We're delighted to offer the training that will help these groups to achieve this. It's a combination of CPR training, access to a defibrillator and knowing how to use one in an emergency that truly makes a club or community organisation heartsafe."
Matt Bray, health and wellbeing manager at Leicester City in the Community said: "It's all about educating the young people to save lives. We have had important heart massage training, which has been fantastic - it has been very practical. We have had a young person that has simulated having a heart attack in our Premier League Kicks session, with a response from the other young people.
"For Leicester City in the Community to work in partnership with the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust is really important. This training is something we are looking to roll out across all of our programmes."
Steve Humphries from the JHMT said: "Leicester City in the Community's Premier League Kick Sessions provide a great platform for young people to develop key life skills. We all recognise there's nothing more important than being able to save someone's life in a cardiac emergency, which can happen to anyone – at any time, in any place and of any age - including young people. Such is the importance of these lifesaving training sessions being delivered by the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT).
"These 'hands-on' practical scenarios include a role play with a young person falling victim to a heart emergency and others then getting the opportunity to put their learning into practice, which is a great way to show that simple skills and drills saves lives."
Further training sessions will now be carried out at the 'Youth Power' youth club sessions run by Leicester City Council's youth services in conjunction with Leicester City in the Community.
Training will take place at Eyres Monsell Club for Young People on Monday 25 November from 7-9pm, at New Parks clubs for young people on Wednesday 27 November from 6-8pm and on Thursday 28 November back in Eyres Monsell, from 5-7pm.
The JHMT carries out free defibrillator familiarisation and CPR training to community and sports groups across the city and county – to find out more, visit www.jhmt.org.uk/heartstart-for-sports
To help young people fulfil their ambitions in the world of sport, the arts, entrepreneurism and community work, the JHMT also runs the Inspire Awards – a small grants scheme for local young people. More information is available at www.jhmt.org.uk/inspire
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