A new community defibrillator and bleed control kit cabinet have been installed at Coventry Skydome with support from a Warwickshire foundation.
The potentially life-saving defibrillator and emergency bleed control kit are now available for use on the external concourse at the Skydome.
The cabinets have been installed after support from the OurJay Foundation, Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) and Coventry Skydome.
The OurJay Foundation was formed in memory of Rugby teenager Jamie Rees who passed away after a cardiac arrest in 2022.
Jamie was a regular visitor to Coventry city centre and enjoyed ice skating at Planet Ice at Coventry Skydome. Last year a defibrillator and bleed control kit were installed at HMV Empire Coventry, in recognition of Jamie’s love of music.
Coventry BID has funded the purchase of the defibrillator at Coventry Skydome, with the Skydome funding its installation.
Coventry BID manager Joanne Glover said: “It’s absolutely vital that we have life-saving equipment available at key locations in Coventry and the new defibrillator and bleed control cabinet will be an important resource on the west side of the city centre.
“The equipment will be on standby 24/7 and ready to save lives, allowing people to act quickly if required in an emergency, which has been proven by the use of other defibrillators and bleed control cabinets already publicly accessible in the city centre.
“We are pleased to have been able to work in partnership with the Skydome and OurJay Foundation to make this possible.”
The OurJay Foundation has now installed 140 accessible defibrillators around the UK and hopes to continue expanding with more sites in Coventry.
Naomi Rees-Issitt, Jamie’s mum and chair of the OurJay Foundation, said: “We have had a great response to the campaign in Warwickshire but now we are looking to expand the number of defibrillators in Coventry.
“The defibrillator installed at HMV Empire has been triggered eight times since it was installed, and the bleed kit there has saved a life.
“Coventry is a special place for us and OurJay Foundation has great supporters in the city.
“Jamie used to go ice skating at the Skydome, so it is great to have the defibrillator now in place here.”
Liz Middleton, operations manager at Coventry Skydome, said: “We hope that we will never have to use the equipment, but it gives us and our communities peace of mind to have the lifesaving equipment on site, should we ever be in that situation.
“I would like thank OurJay Foundation and Coventry BID for making this possible.”
Neighbourhood Inspector Simon Finney said: “The introduction of the defibrillator at the Sky Dome and placement of bleed kits is really reassuring for the community.
“This is a perfect example of excellent partnership working between WMP and the Sky Dome. It means if someone does experience a health emergency in the city centre we are better prepared.
“We’re really grateful to those that have made this initiative possible.”