Defibrillators are installed at Portsmouth sports grounds - Rugby Camp, Farlington playing fields, King George V and Paulsgrove playing fields by Stag Security and Friends Fighting Cancer

TWO organisations have teamed up to install potentially life-saving defibrillators at grass-roots playing fields in Portsmouth.
Rachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting Cancer at a defibrillator installed at King George V playing fields in Cosham.Rachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting Cancer at a defibrillator installed at King George V playing fields in Cosham.
Rachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting Cancer at a defibrillator installed at King George V playing fields in Cosham.

The charity’s events co-ordinator, Ray Ogilvie was inspired to start the initiative after 17-year- old Josh Miroy suffered a heart attack while playing Sunday League football on King George V playing fields in Cosham last year.

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He said: ‘One of the main components of our charity is our football matches, which is one of the biggest ways we fundraise. We have 180 people play for us every year and they are the heartbeat of our charity, so it seems right that we have their back in case something was to go wrong.

The defibrillator at the King George V playing fields .The defibrillator at the King George V playing fields .
The defibrillator at the King George V playing fields .

‘You see experienced players going into cardiac arrest on the pitch and all of our players are just normal people from all different backgrounds, so we need to look after them.

‘Sadly it’s not a case of if it could happen to someone, it’s when and having this equipment installed could be the difference between life and death.’

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He reached out to 50 local businesses, with a goal of receiving £100 from each business – covering the cost of the defibrillators – but Stag Security Services agreed to cover the whole £5,000 cost themselves.

Rachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting CancerRachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting Cancer
Rachel and Andy Morrison from Stag Security and Ray Ogilvie from Friends Fighting Cancer
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Rachel Morrison, co-director at Stag Security Services said: ‘Andy and I decided when we set up our business in 2017 that we would always try to give something back to our community.

We do various things throughout the year, but our one constant is supporting FFC. What they do right across the community to help those in need at a one of the toughest times in people’s lives is little short of amazing, so when Ray put the call out for multiple sponsors to step up and help buy four defibrillators to put out into the community, we jumped at the chance to pay for all four. What better way to not only offer help to anyone in need within those areas and potentially save a life, but also a great way to support the local football community who are the heart of FFC.

‘It’s been quite a long road to get where we are with the defibrillators today, but we are truly pleased they are at finally installed and accessible for all to use.’

The collaboration has seen potentially life-saving defibrillators installed at Rugby Camp in Portsmouth, Farlington playing fields, King George V playing fields in Cosham and Paulsgrove playing fields.

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While the security firm covered the cost of the defibrillators, the charity covered the installation costs, which were around £3,700.

Defibrillators are used by giving a high-energy electric shock to someone who is in cardiac arrest and is the only treatment for a heart attack, along with performing CPR.