Ahead of the South Wales Derby on Saturday January 18th, Sky Bet and the BHF are calling on Cardiff City and Swansea City supporters to kick their fears and apprehensions around CPR into row Z by backing themselves to learn CPR in just 15 mins.
Fan research from Sky Bet revealed that while many fans will likely need to use CPR in their lifetime – almost half of fans (44%) have been in a situation where somebody needed CPR – 45% lack the confidence to perform CPR.
Ahead of the big derby game, Cardiff supporter and cardiac arrest survivor Andrew Barnett met with both Swansea City captain Matt Grimes and Cardiff City captain Joe Ralls to help lead Every Minute Matters ambassador and Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer mobilise Cardiff and Swansea fans behind the campaign.
Barnett was playing in a dads vs kids game at his local leisure centre when he suffered a cardiac arrest. His life was saved by duty manager Ben Clarke who administered CPR and swimming teacher Sheila Mott who prepped the defibrillator. He was treated for a blocked coronary artery with a stent and has since made a good recovery.
When the two teams meet on Saturday 18th, Cardiff City and Swansea City players will get behind the campaign by warming up in specially designed Every Minute Matters t-shirts to help raise awareness of the importance of CPR. Perimeter boards at the Cardiff City Stadium will call on fans to learn lifesaving CPR and the campaign will speak directly to fans through messaging in the matchday programme.
It comes as Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign celebrates a major milestone having inspired over 150,000 people to start learning life-saving CPR through the BHF’s online tool RevivR.
Launched in May this year by Sky Bet and the BHF, the groundbreaking campaign is on a mission to donate up to £3 million for the charity and to encourage 270,000 people to learn CPR – equivalent to three Wembley Stadiums.
Lead ambassador Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December 2023. His life was saved by club medics who rushed to perform CPR and provide early defibrillation. Lockyer was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator after he was hospitalised for five days.
Barnett and Lockyer travelled to Swansea City’s Fairwood training ground to meet club captain Matt Grimes last Wednesday [January 8].
Lockyer said: “CPR is a vital skill that helped save my life and saves thousands more every year. It’s amazing that we’ve surpassed the 150,000 mark, but what’s clear is that we need to bridge this confidence gap.
“Cardiff and Swansea are two of the biggest and best supported clubs in the whole of the EFL so we are keen to get them on board and behind the campaign and show fans that learning CPR is simple, easy and takes just 15 minutes via the BHF’s online RevivR tool.”
Swansea City captain Matt Grimes said: “I recently had the privilege of meeting Tom Lockyer and his story is so inspiring. I was blown away by his courage and how he’s battling back to try and make a full recovery. What really hit home to me isn’t just that CPR is a lifesaver, it’s that anyone can learn CPR.
He continued: “It’s not complicated, you can learn in just 15 minutes with the BHF’s online RevivR tool. That’s why I’m calling on fans of both Swansea City and Cardiff city to put rivalries aside and unite behind the campaign by giving just 15 minutes of time to learn CPR - it could make all the difference and possibly save someone’s life.”
Andrew Barnett said: “I’m only alive today thanks to CPR. I was lucky that when I collapsed playing football at a leisure centre that there were people around who knew how to perform CPR.
“That’s why I’m so passionate about driving awareness of the Every Minute Matters campaign and its why I want all Swansea and Cardiff fans to step up and show their support by taking 15 minutes out of their day to learn CPR.”
The campaign has already proved a big hit, with an incredible £1,068,000 raised so far, including £380,000 from the Sky Bet Play Offs in May and £500,000 since August through Sky Bet’s pledge to donate £10,000 for every ‘stoppage time’ goal during the EFL 2024-2025 season.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Andrew’s story is a powerful reminder that CPR saves lives.
“These lifesaving skills really can really be the difference between life and death. That’s why we’re urging everyone to take 15 minutes – the length of the half-time interval – to learn CPR via our free online tool RevivR.
“Together we hope we will equip thousands more fans with the knowledge and confidence to perform CPR and use a defibrillator in the crucial moments following a cardiac arrest - because in the ultimate medical emergency, every minute really does matter.”
Andrew then visited the Cardiff City Stadium on Monday [January 13] to meet with Cardiff City Captain, Joe Ralls, and Medical Director, Prof. Len Nokes.
Len’s daughter, Claire, collapsed with a cardiac arrest due to undiagnosed myocarditis in late 2016 and passed away in October 2017, having never regained consciousness.
Prof. Nokes said: “My daughter was just twenty-five when she collapsed. I remember arriving at the scene, the ambulance crew did everything they could. But every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to ten per cent. So, by the time they got it into a rhythm that could be shockable, too many minutes had passed.
“My message to fans, to everyone today, is very simple. Learn CPR and learn how to use a defibrillator. Don't be frightened of it. It’s a very simple technique and one we should all know. It's not just the individual’s life that you're saving, it's the family, it's everyone around them, your kids, your wife, everyone”.
Since the loss of his daughter, Prof. Nokes has gone on to become the chair of Save a Life Cymru.
Cardiff Captain Joe Ralls further commented: “The derby on Saturday is huge for our fans and us as players, but also a brilliant opportunity to help spread the word to all supporters about the importance of learning CPR.
“We might be rivals, but this is a time we can unite for a common cause. I would like to think, if I needed to, I would be able to save the life of one of my teammates. RevivR takes fifteen minutes, that’s all, and it could mean so much.”
There are more than 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year, equating to at least five every 90 minutes. Each minute that passes without CPR reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent. And tragically, less than one in ten people survive, often because those around them lack the skills or confidence to perform CPR.