Rugby family's fundraising in honour of son sees lifesaving defibrillator donated to Abbots Farm Infants School

The fundraising efforts of a Rugby family whose son tragically died aged 15 have seen a lifesaving defibrillator donated to Abbots Farm Infants School and installed to be used by the community.

In 2005 former Lawrence Sheriff pupil Joe Spooner died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome aged just 15.

And since then parents Tracey and Stephen Spooner have been tirelessly fundraising to enable defibrillators to be installed across the town.

The defibrillator at Abbots Farm Infants School is easy to use by the layperson, providing voice prompts to the rescuer.

The installation is part of charity SADS UK's Big Shock Campaign to legislate to make defibrillators available in all schools and widely in the community has the support of the ambulance services, the charity’s Patron Dr Hilary Jones, Good Morning Britain and Dame Helen Mirren who heads the charity’s defibrillator leaflet.

Anne Jolly MBE, Founder of SADS UK, the Ashley Jolly SAD Trust, said: "Stephen and Tracey Spooner have raised a lot of awareness in their community, letting people know that cardiac arrest can affect all ages.

"We are pleased that Abbots Farm Infants School and local community will benefit from having a defibrillator to restart the heart if there is a cardiac arrest in the vicinity.

"Using CPR alone provides a five per cent chance of survival but early use of the defibrillator as well increases the chance of survival to over 50 per cent - this is why SADS UK is so passionate about putting this lifesaving equipment in the community."

Abbots Farm head teacher Jeanette Lovejoy said: "It has been our ambition to provide a defibrillator to serve the local community for a long time and thanks to the charity SADS UK and the fundraising from the local community we have been able to achieve our goal.

"We look forward to being able to provide this lifesaving equipment to serve our community."

If you would like to know more about putting a defibrillator in your community, call Anne Jolly, SADS UK on 01277 811215, email, [email protected] web www.sadsuk.orgJo Jones and Abbots Farm Infants school would like to thank:

- Kieran Squire of Squire Building and Property Maintenance who supplied the backboard fixings.

- Lewis Marks and Matthew Tilley of Top Marks Electrical who completed the installation and Edmundsons Electrical, Rugby, for providing discounted materials for the installation.