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Minute Delay: Football's Call to Learn CPR
27 Jan
Summary
- 36 EFL fixtures in February will start one minute later.
- Over 400,000 people have learned CPR via the campaign.
- The goal is to teach half a million people CPR this February.
In a unique initiative, 36 English Football League (EFL) fixtures scheduled between February 5-9 will commence one minute behind their original times. This delay serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), aligning with the 'Every Minute Matters' campaign by Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The campaign, which launched in May 2024, has already motivated over 400,000 people to learn CPR. This February, designated as Heart Month, the BHF and Sky Bet aim to mobilize football fans nationwide, setting an ambitious goal to teach CPR to half a million individuals across the UK by month's end.
Fans are encouraged to utilize the BHF's free online tool, RevivR, to learn CPR, a process that takes approximately 15 minutes. EFL Chief Executive Officer Trevor Birch highlighted the league's community role, stating that the one-minute delay powerfully underscores how swift CPR can be the difference between life and death.
Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer, a BHF ambassador, shared his personal experience, emphasizing that out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen unexpectedly and that CPR is vital for survival. He noted football's unique ability to unite communities for such life-saving causes. Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, BHF Chief Executive, reiterated the urgency, stressing that each minute without CPR diminishes survival chances.
