Community Trust scoop regional award for Wanderers Hearts and Goals campaign
Bolton Wanderers Community Trust picked up the North West Football Awards’ Community Initiative of the Year accolade at a star-studded event held in Manchester on Monday evening.
An award for the Trust’s Wanderers Hearts and Goals campaign, Bolton fought off competition from a number of clubs to secure the accolade.
Launched in October 2012, the scheme itself aims to prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest deaths by raising awareness of the condition, offering emergency lifesaving skills to schools, workforces and community groups as well as raising funds to position Automated External Defibrillators in public places throughout the North West.
A project which works alongside a number of key partners within the local community such as the North West Ambulance Service, the British Heart Foundation and Bolton ICD Support Group, Wanderers Hearts and Goals looks set to go from strength to strength over the coming years.
Speaking following the awards ceremony, Ben Lawton, the Community Trust’s Head of Strategy and Development admitted his delight at the recognition for the club’s hard work over the past twelve months.
“We are extremely proud to be recognised for the Community Initiative of the Year Award,” he said. “It is great to be honoured for the fantastic work that goes on in Bolton.
“Wanderers Hearts and Goals is a project that is close to all our hearts, especially with what happened to Fabrice Muamba and we are very passionate about educating the wider community on Sudden Cardiac Arrest as well as placing more public access defibrillators within the community.”
A project which may still be in its infancy, the club’s Community Trust has already been honoured back in June of this year when they were awarded a Gold Standard award for their community work and their determination to raise awareness of SCA.
There has already been a real success story of the campaign, with Bolton Wanderers supporter Derek Smith suffering a heart attack during the Whites’ game against Blackpool at the Reebok Stadium last season.
Luckily for the elderly gentleman however, an off-duty nurse was on hand to give him CPR and a nearby defibrillator was rushed to the scene – actions which ultimately saved Mr Smith’s life.
For more information regarding the Wanderers Hearts and Goals campaign, please visit http://www.bwct.org.uk/hearts-and-goals/.
To watch footage from the event, please click below.