A COMMUNITY tennis club has taken steps to ensure their defibrillator is accessible to the local community with the support of a local heart charity, The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT), and Co-op Community Fund.

The defibrillator is prominently located on the front of the Kibworth Tennis Club house wall and is easily accessible to the community of Kibworth and available 24/7. The external cabinet which will keep the defibrillator safe has been donated by the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT), which works with sports clubs and community groups to raise awareness of sudden heart deaths, particularly in young people.

In addition, 20 x club members (https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/KibworthTennisClub) and other organisations have already taken part in a FREE JHMT Joe's Mini HeartStart for Sports Clubs CPR & AED familiarisation training session which aims to ensure sports club members, including players, officials and volunteers, know how to use a defibrillator and can perform CPR in an emergency. The club plan to host two more sessions during August and September to ensure all members have had the opportunity to learn key lifesaving skills.

Julie Conboy, Member of Kibworth Tennis Club, said: ""Kibworth Tennis Club were only one of four tennis clubs in Leicestershire that didn't have a defibrillator. As we've 165 members and 210 non-members who live in the Kibworth community and the surrounding villages, plus members of the public who use the recreation ground where the club is located, we felt as a matter of urgency this really needed to be addressed. We are delighted that we were able to provide a defibrillator and have it available for the whole community and not just the tennis club. Nothing can be more important than being prepared saving a life in an emergency. "

"A huge thank you on behalf of the community of Kibworth and the club to the Co-op Community Fund and JHMT for their kind generosity and support throughout resulting in the siting of this key lifesaving equipment at the heart of the community"- added Julie.

Steve Humphries, chair of JHMT, said:" "Congratulations to Julie and everyone at Kibworth Tennis Club for taking steps to create a heart safe environment on and off the court which will also benefit the wider community with the AED being available 24/7. Sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime and of any age, including seemingly fit and healthy young people. It's vitally important everyone learns CPR and knows how to use a defibrillator – and that public access defibrillators are readily available case of a cardiac emergency. Being prepared is key."

"The work of Joe's Trust ( JHMT) goes on to try to create a level playing field across all levels of sport, from elite to grassroots, where being prepared and equipped to save a life becomes the norm. In Leicestershire sport, there is no finer examples than the actions taken by both Tennis Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Leagues who have worked closely with JHMT to ensure all affiliated clubs have access to a defibrillator and members trained in CPR.

This is a fantastic example of raising the standards of sports safety so that everyone can enjoy their sports and leisure activities in the safest possible environment. "- added Steve

The JHMT is a local charity which was set up in memory of Leicester teenager Joe Humphries, who in October 2012 collapsed and died while out jogging near his family home in Rothley. Joe was a victim of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) – a group of lethal heart diseases which can cause sudden cardiac death in young people.

As well as providing free CPR and defibrillator training, the JHMT works hard to raise awareness of sudden heart deaths ( SADS), helps to provide community defibrillators and runs Inspire, a local grants scheme for inspirational young people in the city and county.

To find out more about the work of the Trust, apply for training and support, or to help out with the charity's work, visit the website at www.jhmt.org.uk

You can also follow the Trust on Facebook at facebook.com/JHMTorguk and Twitter @JHMTorguk .