British Heart Foundation funding helps community groups put a public access defibrillator (AED) on site, the sort of life saving kit you might otherwise see at leisure centres, village halls, sports clubs and workplaces. It sits alongside other community AED schemes and competes with local council or charity grants, but comes with BHF’s wider focus on cardiac emergency awareness. The support is aimed at groups that can show a clear need and a plan for access, maintenance and community engagement, rather than a one size fits all giveaway.
Who should apply, and what do you need to have in place?
This is best suited to organisations with a fixed location and regular footfall, where an AED can be clearly signposted and available quickly in an emergency. BHF also points you towards RevivR, its free online CPR training, so you can build confidence locally and encourage more people to act fast while an ambulance is on the way.
- Community access matters: think opening hours, visibility and how people will find it.
- Training support: RevivR gives a simple route to CPR basics without organising a class.
- Ongoing responsibility: plan for checks, replacement pads and clear local ownership.