Blaenavon RFC players and volunteers receive life-saving training as team installs its new device

The club decided they needed a defibrillator due to the number of people which who use the facilities, with teams all the way through the age groups, as well as local community groups.

After initially appealing on Facebook, the club managed to raise enough money to purchase buy the life-saving kit with the help of local businesses.

Loran Tanner, who runs the clubs mini and junior section, said: “We have an increasing mini and junior section with over 150 children, our senior rugby side and lots of different community groups that use our club as a base.

“We also thought that it was important because of the increasing number of people who are suffering heart attacks during participation in sport.

(Blaenavon RFC players and volunteers with their new defibrillator. Picture: Blaenavon RFC)

“The emergency training was given by Welsh Hearts and we had more than 40 of the clubs volunteers take part.

“I feel this training was vital to have and was very informative. I think it gave the volunteers the confidence that in the worse case scenario they would feel confident enough to use the defibrillator.

“We hope as a club it never gets used but it is there if it is needed in an emergency.”

On Saturday, the defibrillator was installed at the club, and more than 40 players and volunteers, including at least two parents of every age group, , senior committee, senior players, bar staff, mini committee, coaches and children received emergency training from Welsh Hearts.

Welsh Hearts is the leading Heart charity in Wales for placing defibrillators in communities and public places. The charity was established by Sharon Owen after she was diagnosed with a heart condition at the age of 11 following a routine check-up with her GP.