Extra life support for college

Housed in housed in the college’s sports hall, this latest equipment will strengthen the college’s readiness for potentially life-saving cardiac first aid for students, staff or members of the local community using the sports facility.

The college was contacted by the Garstang-based charity, The ADAM Appeal, after it received a donation from former Blackpool resident, Simon Wells.

He asked for the money to be used to provide a defibrillator unit to a school or college in the resort as a tribute to his late daughter..

Mr Wells said: “I am delighted to have supported such a magnificent charity that not only honours the memory of Adam but actively places defibrillators and arranges training in prominent public and community locations.

He added: “I lost my daughter Sally four years ago aged 17 to cardiac arrest and as well as supporting Cardiac Risk in the Young and the British Heart Foundation I am particularly glad to support the Adam appeal and it’s highly practical work.

“As a sandgrown lad I am particularly proud to know that my donation will benefit Blackpool Sixth Form College. I wish the Adam Appeal every future success.”

The ADAM Appeal was set up after the tragic death of a local man, Adam Swanwick, who was only 28 in 2012 when he died from a heart attack. He was in the car with his fiancée on the way to try out food for their forthcoming wedding.

Adam’s fiancée, Louise Ayre and his sister-in-law, Pamela Bailey set up the charity in memory of Adam and raises funds to provide cardiac defibrillators to schools, colleges, sports halls and community venues and raises awareness of cardiac risk in young people.

So far, it has raised 62 defibrillators for community use, costing around £650 each.

Pamela, who works as a nurse in Lancaster, went into the college to hand over the defibrillator to staff and students.

BTEC Public Services student, Sebastian Gajos, who has had emergency first aid training through the cadet force said: “This is a really important piece of equipment which will help the college keep everyone safe.”

The college is arranging with The Adam Appeal for a training event for sports staff in the use and maintenance of the defibrillator. Head of Sport, Tourism and Public Services, Tim Craven said: “We are immensely grateful to Pamela, The Adam Appeal and to the person who donated the money to buy it. The college currently has two defibrillators, but being able to place one in the sports hall will provide extra reassurance to everyone.”

The Adam Appeal is supporting the campaign by another charity, CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) for wider access to screening for underlying cardiac conditions in young people.

In recent years Blackpool Sixth has raised money for CRY and in September 2015 collected enough to host a screening for over 100 students.