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The Sky Bet ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign culminated at the home of English football this week following 28 days of almost non-stop walking, running and cycling.
The unique relay – which covered an incredible 4,000km over 28 days – set out to unite the football community behind the vital mission to save more lives by equipping football fans with confidence and skills to perform lifesaving CPR.
Backed by a host of football’s biggest names – including Glenn Hoddle, ‘Big’ Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness – the relay struck a chord with football fans across the country, spurring an incredible 24,230 to start learning CPR in just four weeks.
Cardiac arrest survivor and Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer, who has played an integral role in the campaign, said: “It’s been a rollercoaster few weeks and an incredible effort from so many determined former players, fans and employees of EFL clubs. My message to them and all the fans who gave up just 15 minutes of their time to learn CPR is, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
He continued: “They say football is a results business. Well, this is just about the best result I could have ever hoped for. In just four weeks we’ve seen thousands of fans give up their time to learn CPR. I’ve been supporting this campaign every step of the way and what has been achieved over the past year is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a true testament to the power of football.”
Legendary former Liverpool player and manager Souness, who participated in the final leg of the relay from QPR to Wembley, added: “It has been a truly humbling experience to be part of this campaign. What the Sky Bet Relay has shown once again is that football can bring people together in a way that few things in life can. We called on football fans to give just 15 minutes of their time and they answered us in their thousands and for that I’ll be forever grateful because CPR is a vital skill that saves lives.”
Sam Allardyce representing the relay
The culmination of the relay comes almost a year after Sky Bet teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to launch ‘Every Minute Matters’ with the goal of encouraging an incredible 270,000 to start learning CPR by the end of the 2024-2025 football season – equivalent to three Wembley stadiums. Sky Bet separately pledged £3m to fund the vital work of the British Heart Foundation.
And with a month to go to the end of the season, the British Heart Foundation confirmed that the campaign has encouraged 288,885 people to use the charity’s online RevivR tool and to start learning the lifesaving skill of CPR.
Having smashed the original target of 270,000, the year-long Every Minute Matters campaign is setting its sights on revised target of 360,000 people committing to learn CPR by the end of the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off final on Monday May 26.
Comedian and lifelong Leeds United fan, Maisie Adams, who participated in the final leg of the relay, said: “It’s been an incredible 24 hours – it’s hard to say what I’m more chuffed about Leeds United getting promoted or knowing that I’ve played a small part in something that’s frankly more important than football. Something that can and will save lives.”
She continued: “Having smashed through the original target, we’ve got one last job to do and that’s make sure we reach that perfect number and no I’m not talking about Leeds getting to 100 points – although that would be nice – I’m talking about getting 360,000 people to start learning CPR.”
Together we can make a real difference
Fans can show their support by learning CPR in just 15 minutes with the help of the BHF’s free, simple and easy-to-use online tool, RevivR.
Each month more than 2,500 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK and tragically less than one in 10 survive, often because those around them don’t have the confidence to perform CPR. Every minute that passes reduces the chances of survival by up to 10 per cent.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “The Every Minute Matters campaign is truly lifesaving. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been encouraged to learn CPR, and through the efforts of participants and talent taking part in Sky Bet’s EFL Relay, we know many more will be inspired to learn this vital skill.
“We want to thank every participant in joining the BHF’s mission to ensure more lives are saved from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.”
To learn CPR in just 15 minutes, visit https://revivr.bhf.org.uk/efl
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