Secretary sees defib save vet's life

The relieved Daniels administrator believes many more lives will be saved following the introduction of the emergency equipment at every ground after one saved the life of a member of the club's Walking Football side who collapsed on the pitch at lunchtime on Tuesday.

Three ambulances attended the scene at the EVO-STIK League South club's 3G training pitch before the unnamed 65-year-old was rushed from the Zeeco Stadium by air ambulance to hospital in Lincoln where he is in intensive care and an induced coma but is expected to regain consciousness on Thursday.

Bee also hailed the efforts of quick-thinking Stamford College Academy coaches Gary Brown and Chris Palmer who rushed to his aid with a defibrillator purchased by the EVO-STIK League South club two years ago after the Football Association teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to subsidise nearly two thirds of the costs.

Backing the EVO-STIK League's decision to make the life-saving equipment mandatory this summer before the FA announced the relaunch of the subsidy scheme for more than 900 clubs at Steps 1 to 5 last month, Bee said: "I can't praise our two coaches Gary and Chris highly enough for their actions before the ambulances arrived. They were both fantastic with Gary giving cardiac massage and Chris using the defibrillator.

"Every establishment should have one and what happened here shows what a brilliant move it was by the league to make them mandatory. Fortunately, we've had one for two years after getting it through the scheme but too many places still don't and this man's life was saved because one was at the ground."

He added: "Let's hope not but I think it is great for everyone in the league to know that wherever they play this season there will be a defibrillator there if needed."

After the sad passing last September of Shaw Lane defender Daniel Wilkinson after he collapsed on a pitch during an Integro League Cup clash at Brighouse Town and later died, the EVO-STIK League's clubs are supporting the charitable foundation set up in his name this season with adverts and flyers in all matchday programmes for the competition until next April's final.

The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation aims to raise awareness of the dangers of undetected underlying heart conditions and set an initial target of £50,000 to help fund the purchase of the life-saving equipment.

The collapse and recovery of former Bolton star Fabrice Muamba in 2012 during an FA Cup tie at Spurs prompted the FA to team up with the BHF to subsidise the cost of defibrillators. The move also followed lobbying from the EVO-STIK League and a number of competitions for action to be taken.

Find out more about The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation via the charity's social media channels and website at thedanielwilkinsonfoundation.org. To donate, visit: http://mydonate.bt.com/charities/thedanielwilkinsonfoundation#.

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