Survival and support
Lifesaving Every Minute Matters campaign smashes target as over 270,000 fans learn CPR
The Every Minute Matters campaign has smashed its target to encourage 270,000 people across Britain to learn CPR with almost two months to go.
In an incredible testament to the powerful force of football, the Sky Bet campaign has encouraged the equivalent of three times the capacity of Wembley stadium to use our online RevivR tool and start learning the lifesaving technique.
Now the campaign is setting its sights on making it a multiple of four – and encouraging 360,000 to learn CPR by the time the Sky Bet EFL Play-Offs kick-off at the end of May.
Army of lifesavers
Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation launched Every Minute Matters at Wembley Stadium in May 2024 – helped by the ‘Re-Starting XI’ a star-studded team of football legends and real-life heroes, including among others Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League game against Bournemouth in December 2023.
Sky Bet also pledged to raise £3 million for our vital research and community defibrillator work.
On hearing the 270,000 milestone had now been reached, Every Minute Matters and our ambassador Tom Lockyer said: “Thinking back to last May, and taking the pitch with the likes of Graeme Souness, Glenn Hoddle and David Ginola, it’s just incredible to think of how much we’ve achieved. Hitting the 270,000 milestone is incredible, and every single person now has a unique skill in the hands. We’ve created a small army of lifesavers.
“I’m so proud of the efforts of everyone involved. We can now move the goalposts and put every effort into getting the number up to four Wembleys, from three – 360,000 people.”
Relay hits halfway mark
The announcement comes as the Sky Bet EFL ‘Every Minute Matters’ 4,000km Relay hits the halfway mark, having challenged stars of the sport to complete one leg of a 28-day relay crossing England and Wales, taking in every one of the 72 clubs in the English Football League along the way.
Footie legends including Jack Wilshere, Graeme Souness, Dion Dublin and Troy Deeney are joining forces with the likes of comedian Elis James and broadcaster Sir Tony Robinson and supporting the four week marathon.
Stars, real-life heroes and fans of EFL clubs have signed up to walk, run or cycle one of 72 legs, and are urging fans to donate their time by stepping up and learning CPR.
Aiming even higher
Each month more than 2,500 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK and tragically less than one in 10 survive, often because those around them don’t have the confidence to perform CPR. Every minute that passes reduces the chances of survival by up to 10%.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, said: “In less than a year, we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people rally behind Every Minute Matters and start learning vital CPR.
“It’s incredible that this campaign has reached its ambitious target, and our heartfelt thanks goes to Sky Bet, the football community, talent, fans, the wider public and the UK media for their support and dedication to getting us there.
“But we aren’t stopping here. We are now aiming even higher and hope an extra Wembley stadium learns CPR with RevivR by the end of May, in our efforts to ensure more lives are saved from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.”
Fans can show their support by learning CPR in just 15 minutes with the help of our free, simple and easy to use online tool, RevivR.