Free defibrillator for your bowling club

Club News

I know of a number of local bowling clubs that have funded the purchase of new defibrillator for the use of their local community and installed it at their club. Costs vary but can be up to £1,000 depending on what model you require. An existing scheme to fully fund the cost of a new defibrillator is now available to sports clubs from the British Heart Foundation. Read on.

Who can apply

You must be applying on behalf of a non-profit community-focused group. We can only accept one application from each local branch of a community group.

Some examples of groups we accept are:

• faith organisations

• sports groups

• charities

• social clubs

• community centres

• parish councils

• local social enterprise organisations

• community interest companies

• resident’s associations and informal groups.

Other conditions you must comply with

To be eligible for a free, BHF-funded defibrillator, you must:

• ensure the defibrillator is 200 metres or more away from the nearest public access defibrillator

• ensure the defibrillator is available to the public 24/7 in the non-lockable and uncoded cabinet provided

• ensure the defibrillator is installed on an external wall that is not blocked by locked gates or opening times

• make sure that the cabinet has a constant electricity supply

• install the defibrillator within 4 weeks of receiving it

• have authorisation from the property owner to install the defibrillator

• register the defibrillator on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network

• commit to learning CPR with RevivR, our free online CPR training tool

• commit to leading Team RevivR sessions in your community, using the resources and instructions provided.

If you are not able to comply with these conditions, you are not eligible for a BHF-funded defibrillator.

Who cannot apply

We cannot fund defibrillators for:

• individuals

• emergency services

• GP surgeries

• dental practices

• schools and colleges, including nurseries and pre-schools

• military organisations

• police

• organisations looking for a mobile defibrillator.

If you are not sure if your organisation is eligible, or you have a question about the application process, contact us at defibs@bhf.org.uk.

If you are not eligible, you can purchase a defibrillator from our online shop. Alternatively, you can raise money in your community or look online for further funding opportunities.

What's included in the award package

In the award package, we provide:

• a defibrillator, complete with pads and kit accessories

• a non-lockable cabinet which you must store the defibrillator in

• replacement pads and batteries for your defibrillator

• resources for RevivR, our online CPR training tool.

If you’re unable to install the cabinet yourself or with the help from your local community, this may be offered as part of the package.

How to apply

To apply for a defibrillator, simply follow these steps:

1. Create an account. You'll need to provide an email address, password and name to register for an account.

2. Fill in our application form – It usually takes around 25 minutes to complete. Your progress saves automatically, so you can return to it at any time.

3. Submit your form. We recommend submitting your application within 1 week of beginning to apply.

We aim to update you on if your application has been successful within 8 weeks.

A limited number of funded defibrillators are available in each funding cycle.

Applications will be reviewed monthly against a set of criteria so awards can be made to communities that need them most.

We will prioritise areas with fewer registered defibrillators and communities where there is a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.