Hucknall Warriors junior football club takes delivery of lifesaving mobile defibrillator

Hucknall Warriors junior football club has taken delivery of a mobile defibrillator that could ‘make the difference between life and death’.
Warriors chairman Paul Burley (left) and Under-7s manager Dan Pheasant receive the mobile defib from Amanda Vennell, founder of Defibs for Grassroots FootballWarriors chairman Paul Burley (left) and Under-7s manager Dan Pheasant receive the mobile defib from Amanda Vennell, founder of Defibs for Grassroots Football
Warriors chairman Paul Burley (left) and Under-7s manager Dan Pheasant receive the mobile defib from Amanda Vennell, founder of Defibs for Grassroots Football

The club, which is connected to Hucknall Town FC, has been presented with the equipment after applying to the local organisation, Defibs for Grassroots Football.

The club says it hopes never to have to put it to use but is grateful to now have it available after several tragedies in the grassroots game in recent months.

Warriors chairman, Paul Burley, said: "in the 16 years the club has been in existence, thankfully we have never had the need for a defibrillator.

"However, we are aware that it only takes one unfortunate situation and defibs can make the difference between life and death.

"We have always made a point of publishing, on our website, the locations of defibs local to the facilities we use and one has a defib on site, while we are in discussions with the other to hopefully get one installed for the new season.

"But this new portable unit gives us the flexibility of having our own for use at tournaments or ad hoc venues we may use in the future".

Defibs for Grassroots Football is run by football mum Amanda Vennell.

The presentation to Warriors came after the club’s Under-7s manager, Dan Pheasant, reached out to Amanda.

She said: "I started Defibs for Grassroots Football last summer. The money raised has all been from me fundraising by raffles, coffee mornings and also the generosity of people donating, either money or defibrillators themselves.

"I am a single mum of two to a young footballer. I just wanted to make sure my son's club and the rest of the grassroots community is a safer place, if the unfortunate ever happened."

Mr Burley added: "It's incredible what has been achieved by Amanda and to see the parent of a club take it upon themselves to not only help their own son's club but then to continue to help other clubs is just remarkable.

"Although she has helped 15 clubs to date, Amanda is a woman on a mission and has plans to increase this number significantly and we will be keeping in touch with her to see how we might help further as a club."

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