A DEFIBRILLATOR which will benefit the local community has been presented to Holbrook Hornets Youth FC.

The club won the defibrillator after Suffolk FA staff successfully completed their #LiveFootballChallenge during last October’s Love Football, Live Football Week sponsored by MH Goals Ltd.

The challenge involved cycling 312 miles non-stop over 24 hours – one mile for every club in the county, with the aim of raising £1,100 towards the cost of a defibrillator. Local football clubs were invited to donate £5 in return for going into a draw to win the defibrillator and the Hornets were picked out as the winner.

Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Jodie Allard presented the community-run club, who operate 11 age groups from under-6s to under-16s, with the defibrillator which they have chosen to install at one of their training venues, the Royal Hospital School’s all-weather pitch.

Pictured above at the presentation on Thursday evening are (left to right) Holbrook Hornets officials Geraldine Day (secretary), Paul Moore (chairman), Royal Hospital School Headmaster Simon Lockyer, Rob Boast (vice-chairman) and Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Jodie Allard.

Holbrook Hornets Youth FC Chairman Paul Moore said: “We are very grateful to Suffolk FA for making this possible. Our huge thanks go to all those involved and to the Royal Hospital School for allowing us to install the unit on their facility.”

Simon Lockyer, Headmaster at the Royal Hospital School, said: “We are hugely grateful to both the Suffolk FA and the Holbrook Hornets for providing the defibrillator and arranging its installation at our all-weather pitch where it will benefit all those using the facility both in term time and the holiday periods.

“The all-weather pitch is used by a number of local clubs and societies including Holbrook Hornets, Woolverstone FC, Brantham Athletic FC and Ipswich Athletic FC. The defibrillator will also be well positioned for those who use our tennis courts and the nine-hole golf course as well as residents in the local vicinity.

“We are pleased to be able to open up our facilities to the wider community and, although we hope that the defibrillator is never needed, we are delighted to be able to offer an additional level of first aid provision for our visitors through the installation of this equipment.”

Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Jodie Allard said: “It gives us great pleasure to present Holbrook Hornets Youth FC with a new defibrillator and secure case which was funded by the Suffolk FA team’s fundraising efforts for Love Football, Live Football Week. A big thank you must go to the Suffolk FA staff who worked hard to raise the funds needed to put this vital piece of equipment in the grassroots football community.

“Although we hope they are never needed, defibrillators can, and do, save the lives of local people and we are very pleased to be able to support Holbrook Hornets with the new piece of life-saving equipment.

“To ensure we can support other areas of the football community, we have negotiated discount rates on defibrillators for all Suffolk clubs and I would encourage any clubs looking to purchase one to get in touch.”

If your club is interested in purchasing a defibrillator, please contact Jodie Allard on 01449 616606 and select option 3 or 07432 735961 or email Jodie.Allard@Suffolkfa.com

To find out how you could help save a life and how to use a defibrillator if someone suffers a cardiac arrest at a football match, watch the Suffolk FA #LFLF Restart a Heart video here