This week, I met with the Oliver King Foundation in support of their Defibrillator Champions campaign. Defibrillators can save lives. But it’s essential that they’re used in conjunction with CPR to have the best possible chance of saving the life of someone suffering cardiac arrest.

The Oliver King Foundation are based in my constituency and have long campaigned to ensure schools and key public areas are equipped with a life-saving defibrillator. Mark and Joanne King setup the foundation after the tragic loss of their son Oliver who died following a cardiac arrest at a school swimming competition. Without a defibrillator available at the school, his chances of survival were dramatically reduced.

They have since worked hard to ensure every single school in my constituency is equipped with a defibrillator and a member of staff who knows how to use it. There’s currently no law which requires schools and high risk public areas to have a defibrillator available, so the work that they do really is vital.