Specialist insurance company Golf Care has donated more than £5,000 towards placing defibrillators in golf clubs across the UK. This donation was made to the Arrhythmia Alliance, a heart rhythm charity, and a cheque was presented by Bernard Gallacher OBE, former Ryder Cup captain and Golf Care ambassador.
Golf Care’s donation is part of the Save Golfers’ Lives campaign, which was launched after it was found that two-thirds of golf clubs still don’t have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on-site. The money raised is a combination of donations from Golf Care policyholders and Golf Care staff.
Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and Trustee of the Arrhythmia Alliance, said: “We are delighted to receive this generous donation towards the placement of life-saving AED’s on golf courses.
“If someone suffers a cardiac arrest while playing golf, their chance of survival decreases by 10% for every minute that defibrillation is delayed. However, CPR combined with early defibrillation (use of an AED) increases their chances of survival by over 50%. This highlights just how essential AED’s are and why every golf club in the UK should have one.”
More than 100 AEDs have been installed in UK golf clubs over the last four years as a result of Bernard Gallacher’s continuous campaigning. Bernard suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in Aberdeen in 2013 and it was only through the application of an automated external defibrillator that he survived.
He said: “It’s because of a defibrillator that I’m here today. I was very fortunate, and I just hope that, thanks to Golf Care’s donation, someone else is fortunate in future. The more awareness we can raise of the importance of defibrillators, the better.”
Paul Williams, Chief Executive of Golf Care, added: “It’s important to us to give something back to the golfing community and this donation is our way of doing that. We’re keen golfers ourselves and we care about the safety and well-being of golfers. If this donation can save even one golfer’s life, it’s achieved exactly what we intended.”
To find out more about the Saving Golfers’ Lives campaign or make a donation, click here.
Pictured above (from left) Paul Williams (Chief Executive Golf Care), Bernard Gallacher OBE, and Trudie Lobban MBE (Founder of the Arrhythmia Alliance)
Golf Care www.golfcare.co.uk