Tweedmouth Amateurs FC invests in life-saving piece of equipment

Tweedmouth Amateurs FC, who play in the Border Amateur A Division, has been able to buy a portable defibrillator following financial support Ms Hunter’s Small Grant Scheme Fund.

Councillor Hunter, who represents Berwick East with Ord, said: “Because it does not matter where the club is [playing], and even though we hope it is never needed, the defibrillator will always be available to save a life”.Coordinating with The Stephen Carey Fund, a Northumberland charity set up following the tragic death of young Alnmouth footballer Stephen Carey in 2012, the Amateurs hope to train all of their players and support staff to use the life-saving device.

Every year, 55 out of every 100,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. But St John Ambulance estimates that when using a defibrillator, the chance of survival from a cardiac incident is two to four-fold greater than with traditional CPR.

As well as both home and away matches, the club will also make the life-saving device available at their Five Arches Park home in Tweedmouth for community events.

As a registered charity, the Amateurs regularly make their facilities accessible for charity football and youth initiatives.

Club captain Jock Antcliff said: “Supporters and participants alike can now be reassured not only by the presence of the life-saving device, but also the confidence that fully trained and competent operators will be on hand in the tragic event of a cardiac incident”.