Community rugby clubs are built on more than just a shared sporting interest – they are also about looking out for one another. In that spirit of solidarity we’re delighted to announce the installation of a brand-new, publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Casuals, generously donated by specialist building contractor DJH Ravcon.

The new defibrillator has been installed on the external wall of the clubhouse just in time for Restart a Heart Day on 16 October – a national campaign from the British Heart Foundation dedicated to raising awareness of cardiac arrest, sharing life-saving CPR skills and demystifying the use of defibrillators.

Each year over 40,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK – and less than one in ten survive. Every single second counts – and giving CPR promptly and using a defibrillator can more than double the chances of survival. Modern defibrillators are designed to be user-friendly, offering clear, calm, automated voice instructions that guide even an inexperienced bystander step-by-step through the process.

By placing this state-of-the-art defibrillator directly on-site, Northampton Casuals and DJH Ravcon are ensuring that players, spectators, visitors and the wider community have easy access to a life-saving piece of kit.

Dan Dowling, Director at DJH Ravcon commented: “We’re proud to be a long running supporter of Northampton Casuals – and being part of that community means looking after the people that make it special. When the opportunity arose to support the Casuals with something as vital as a defibrillator we were really pleased to be able to help. We’re incredibly proud to play a part in keeping this community safe and protected for years to come.”

Club Chairman Rob Wainwright added, “The safety and welfare of our members, visiting teams, and everyone who uses our facilities will always be our absolute top priority. Having a new externally accessed defibrillator on-site gives everyone that extra peace of mind when they step through our gates. We can’t thank DJH Ravcon enough for stepping up and supporting us in such a meaningful way. Partnerships like this show what grassroots sport is all about – looking after one another both on and off the pitch.”

The new defibrillator is now registered on the British Heart Foundation’s DefibFinder map. And the hope is that this new addition not only provides immediate practical safety benefits, but also inspires members of the local community to familiarise themselves with basic CPR and other AED locations. If you’d like to learn how to do CPR, you can do the British Heart Foundation’s easy and quick online training – https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr/learn-cpr-in-15-minutes