Greenock Wanderers Rugby Club has taken ownership of life-saving equipment thanks to a partnership between the Craig Hodgkinson Trust, British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The Craig Hodgkinson Trust exists to provide defibrillator equipment to sporting venues throughout Scotland.  Craig Hodgkinson’s parents, John and Diane established the Trust in Craigs name and working together with BHF Scotland, have purchased 60 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) which are being placed across Scotland with guidance and training provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
(AEDs are life-saving machines that deliver a controlled electric shock to the heart in order to restore a normal heartbeat after a cardiac arrest. When the heart stops, every second counts – for every minute that passes, the chances of survival drop by 14 per cent. BHF Scotland has over 20 years experience of placing AEDs with GPs, ambulance services and in a range of community settings.)
A 27-year-old Royal Marine, Craig Hodgkinson died suddenly in 2007 from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing rugby for the Royal Navy – every week, as many as 12 seemingly healthy young people die in the UK from similar heart problems.
Wanderers President, Dougie Sloan said:  "Greenock Wanderers are delighted to accept such a vital piece of life saving equipment. This machine could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency, and will be a vital resource for our staff, players, supporters and everyone else that uses and visits Fort Matilda.  We have a total of 10  staff / members fully trained in the use of the AED and they have also been updated in vital life saving skills”. Sloan continued, “Obviously we hope that there will not be an occasion, when this equipment will be required to be used, but in the event of a life threatening situation arising in the future, we feel that through this donation from the Craig Hodgkinson Trust we will be in a far better position to deal with it. On behalf of Greenock Wanderers I would particularly like to thank John and Diane for the gift of this AED. The knowledge that this equipment is available when young men and women are enjoying the sports they love is a fitting memorial to Craig Hodgkinson."

This article was posted on 16-Feb-2010, 18:27 by Hugh Barrow.