Awesome CPR marathon effort helps raise more than £1,700 for defibrillator charity

An incredible CPR marathon, which lasted well over 24 hours, helped raise more than £1,700 for a vital local charity.

Scott Woodhead, who has run the Shaw-based Sports Physio UK business for over a decade with Dave Sedgewick, set up the 'Defibrillators Saves Lives' charity in February this year with Pat Highly after her son Gary suffered a near-tragic cardiac arrest.

Gary's life was saved by the timely availability of a defibrillator and CPR by his good friend Rob.

Scott said: "I helped organise, as part of our 12-year birthday celebration, a 26.2 hour CPR Marathon to help raise funds and awareness for the charity Pat and I set up. 

"We joined forces with Pat after the near loss of her son. 

"We at Sports Physio UK have campaigned since 2014 to raise funds and put defibs into Shaw and Crompton, with this expanding now to cover Royton and even further afield now.

"At the CPR marathon last weekend, we had schools such as St Joseph's and St Mary's High Crompton coming down to take part, along with multiple scout groups and many, many local businesses.

"Everyone who attended took part and helped to keep CPR going on a mannequin for 26 hours and 12 minutes - which was amazing.

"That went on through the day and night!

"Alongside this, we had a teaching station where myself, Jane Rawlings and even my son Charlie, who is 10 years old, helped teach over 135 people the life-saving skill of performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)."

Proud Scott added: "In the end we raised a whopping £1,716.36, which will go towards the provision and maintenance of defibs within the Oldham community."

You can read all about the Defibrillators Save Lives charity by clicking on their Facebook page here

* THIS ARTICLE replaces one we temporarily published earlier this week which contained inaccuracies.

For this the Chronicle would like to publicly apologise to Scott and Dave at Sports Physio UK, Defibrillators Save Lives founders Pat and Scott, the charity's volunteers, and Steve Hill MBE.

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