COVERED WINTER 2019

33 JOIN OUR MAILING LIST FOR ALL THE LATEST: TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK/MAILINGLIST COMMUNITY & DEVELOPMENT “We want to make sure there are precautions in place at grounds if the worst does happen.” The project is currently in its infancy, with the first defibrillators currently being installed at clubs across the county – but Josh is hopeful of it gathering momentum. “It’s something we’ve been discussing for quite a while,” he confirmed. “We chatted with some guys in Leices- tershire who were running a similar scheme – and then we heard the story of Lizzie Jones. “Lizzie’s husband was a rugby league player who tragically died after suffering a heart attack during a match, and it was later found that he had a diagnos- able heart condition that hadn’t been picked up. “The work Lizzie’s done since to raise money for heart screening events and defibs has been inspirational (the Danny Jones Defib Fund has raised over £150,000 so far), and we’ve been delighted to be able to give her cause more exposure.” Those who attended Notts Outlaws’ T20 fixtures against Leicestershire Foxes andYorkshireVikings this year will have been moved, first by soprano Lizzie’s spine-tingling performances to welcome the teams onto the field, and then by the heartbreaking story of her husband’s passing. It’s a story which has already resonated with supporters. “The very same evening that Lizzie first performed for us, we had a message from a gentleman in the crowd who said he had suffered a heart attack in the past, and could think of nothing he’d rather do than give back to his community by buying a defibrillator for his local club,” said Scully. “We also saw a spike in the number of clubs applying for defibs, both inside and out of Nottinghamshire.” As the project has started to gather momentum, Scully has taken the opportunity to try out a defibrillator unit – and he could hardly have been more effusive about their simplicity. “They’re unbelievably easy to use,” he said. “The machines automatically detect the size of the person they’re being used on and how much electricity is needed, and tell you exactly when to shock them. “They won’t give someone whose heart is beating a shock – they’re incredibly intelligent machines.” While vital, the prevalence of defibril- lator training will only start to benefit people in the community once the units become more widely available. And Scully shared some startling statistics on how taking decisive action can be crucial when an individual is suffering heart problems. “The chances of somebody surviving a cardiac arrest can jump from around 6% to 75% if a defibrillator is used, but it must be with them quickly. “We want to do our bit to make these defibs more accessible, not just to cricket clubs but the entire community. “Each defib will be housed outside a cricket club, and they’ll all be listed with the East Midlands Ambulance Service so they can be used when somebody calls 999. “A cricket club is often at the centre of the community, so we think they’re ideally-placed to service local areas well.” For more information or to find out more about sponsoring a defibrillator, email josh.scully@nottsccc.co.uk . For information on how to support the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund, visit dannyjonesdefibfund.co.uk. “THE WORK LIZZIE’S DONE TO RAISE MONEY FOR HEART SCREENING EVENTS AND DEFIBS HAS BEEN INSPIRATIONAL.” Josh Scully