Latest news with #EveryMinuteMatters'
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Why all three EFL Play-off finals will kick off one minute late this weekend
This weekend's EFL play-off finals, in the Championship on Saturday, League One on Sunday and League Two on Monday, will all kick off a minute later than scheduled The EFL play-off finals will kick off a minute later than scheduled this weekend to promote the British Heart Foundation's 'Every Minute Matters' campaign. The campaign - which began during last season's play-offs - aims to encourage fans to learn CPR. And Luton skipper Tom Lockyer will make an emotional return to Wembley to join Vinnie Jones in a demonstration of the life-saving technique in front of the sell-out crowd. Lockyer will be back at the national stadium for the first time since collapsing on the pitch after suffering a heart scare just eight minutes into Luton's Championship play-off final victory over Coventry two years ago. The defender - who suffered a cardiac arrest during the Hatters' Premier League clash at Bournemouth 18 months ago - is an ambassador for the campaign that aims to highlight the importance of a quick response. The chances of survival after a cardiac arrest decrease by 10 per cent for every minute that passes without effective CPR or defibrillation. The shift in kick-off times is intended to underline that message with today's second-tie showdown between Sheffield United and Sunderland starting at 15:01. Lockyer said: 'This campaign has brought fans, players and clubs together like never before – and the result is nothing short of incredible. 'In just a year, we've helped more than 300,000 people to start learning CPR. That's a massive achievement, and one I'm incredibly proud of. I'm one of the lucky ones, but the stark reality is that most people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest won't be so lucky. "That's why on Saturday at Wembley I'll be calling for one final effort from the fans because every extra person we inspire to learn CPR could one day go on to save a life.'
Metro
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Why the Championship play-off final kicks off one minute late today
Sheffield United take on Sunderland today in the Championship play-off final, with the winner earning promotion back to the Premier League. Often described as the most lucrative game in world football, the Blades are aiming to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking, while the Black Cats can end their eight-year exile in the EFL. But you may have noticed that Saturday's match at Wembley kicks-off at the unusual time of 3.01pm. In fact, all three play-off finals this weekend will get underway at one minute past the hour, with Charlton vs Leyton Orient at 1.01pm on Sunday and AFC Wimbledon vs Walsall at 3.01pm on Monday. The reason behind the unusual kick off times today is all to raise awareness of Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation's 'Every Minute Matters' campaign which aims to teach people life-saving CPR. The campaign has already surpassed its target of educating 270,000 people – the equivalent of three Wembleys – through the British Heart Foundation's online RevivR tool and hopes to reach 360,000 by the end of the play-offs. The delayed kick-off time is to symbolise how every minute matters when administering life-saving treatment. The campaign was unveiled at the end of last season by a number of famous football faces, including Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer who suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch during the Hatters' play-off final win in 2023. The Wales international will appear on the pitch at half-time of the Championship play-off today to help demonstrate CPR alongside former footballer turned actor Vinnie Jones. Learn CPR in 15 minutes for free with British Heart Foundation's online training course. Visit BHF here. 'I was just one of the more than 30,000 people who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest every year in the UK,' the Lockyer said. More Trending 'I am lucky to be alive today, but the reality is that less than 1 in 10 people usually survive, which is why it's vital that we continue to raise awareness. The symbolic kick off times are the perfect way to make our lifesaving message impossible to ignore. In the world of football, which I'm still involved in as a pundit, there's been a number of high-profile incidents involving athletes with heart issues (like Tom Lockyer of Luton, who suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch last year, or Christian Eriksen, who collapsed during Euro 2020 while playing for Denmark. While those cases weren't related to high blood pressure, for me it all underlines that message that if serious health conditions can happen to these super fit athletes, it can happen to you, much like it did to me over three decades ago. Getting checked over is an investment for your future health, looking after yourself while you are young – and even at my age – is the right thing to do for your health and your family! Taking a couple of pills every day is a small price to pay for the health and time with my family I've enjoyed since that first diagnosis. I want the same for everyone, no matter how at risk they think they are, or aren't. Take it from someone who never thought they would have high blood pressure, much less major heart surgery – it can happen to absolutely anyone, at any time. Read Graeme's full story here. 'Over the course of the last year, the EFL community – fans, players and the clubs – have come together and united behind the Sky Bet Every Minute Matters campaign to achieve something I never thought possible. 'And now, as we approach the business end of the season, the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals provide an incredible platform to continue to spread the word and bring the curtain down on a game changing year in the fight against cardiac arrest.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Frank Lampard clashes with Sunderland fan after Coventry City defeat in Championship play-off semi-final MORE: Sunderland can survive a nervy home game with Frank Lampard's Coventry to reach Championship play-off final MORE: Sheffield United can clinch place in Championship play-off final but big questions remain about their Premier League prospects
Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Why the Championship play-off final kick-off time has been moved
Why the Championship play-off final kick-off time has been moved Sheffield United and Sunderland meet at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-off final Wembley Stadium hosts the Championship play-off final today (Image: Mark Kerrison ) Sheffield United and Sunderland lock horns in the Championship play-off final on Saturday afternoon. The two teams will face off against each other under the famous Wembley arch for a place in the Premier League and all the riches that entails. The Blades will be smarting that they missed out on an automatic promotion place to Leeds United and Burnley but have the perfect opportunity to address that this afternoon against the Black Cats. One thing to note is that the traditional 3pm kick-off time has been moved forward a minute, with the game scheduled to officially get under way at 3.01pm. The League One and League Two finals, scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday respectively, are also kicking off 60 seconds later, at 1.01pm. The reason is because the EFL are looking to raise awareness for the 'Every Minute Matters' campaign, which aims to encourage football fans to learn CPR. Article continues below Wales international Tom Lockyer is an ambassador for the project after the defender collapsed with atrial fibrillation in the 2023 Championship play-off final between his club Luton Town and Coventry City. He said: 'I was just one of the more than 30,000 people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year in the UK. "I am lucky to be alive today, but the reality is that less than 1 in 10 people usually survive, which is why it's vital that we continue to raise awareness. "The symbolic kick-off times are the perfect way to make our lifesaving message impossible to ignore. 'Over the course of the last year, the EFL community – fans, players and the clubs – have come together and united behind the Sky Bet Every Minute Matters campaign to achieve something I never thought possible. "And now, as we approach the business end of the season, the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals provide an incredible platform to continue to spread the word and bring the curtain down on a game-changing year in the fight against cardiac arrest." The dates and times in full Article continues below Championship: Sheffield United vs Sunderland, Saturday, May 24, 3:01pm League One: Charlton vs Leyton Orient, Sunday, May 25, 1:01pm League Two: AFC Wimbledon vs Walsall, Monday, May 26, 3:01pm
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why the Championship playoff final will kick off one minute late
The three EFL play-off finals will all start a minute later than standard to raise awareness of CPR and Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation's 'Every Minute Matters' campaign. The campaign, which began during last season's play-offs, is encouraging 360,000 people to use the British Heart Foundation's online RevivR tool and to start learning CPR by the culmination of the football season with the play-off finals. It has already surpassed its target of teaching 270,000 people - three times the capacity of Wembley Stadium - to learn CPR. The symbolic time of each kickoff aims to highlight how every minute matters when administering life-saving treatment. The chances of survival after a cardiac arrest decrease by 10 per cent for every minute that passes without effective CPR or defibrillation. To mark this, the Championship play-off final between Sheffield United and Sunderland will begin at 3.01pm on Saturday, 24 May, with the League One play-off between Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient kicking off at 1.01pm on Sunday, 25 May and the League Two play-off between Wimbledon and Walsall at 3.01pm on Monday, 26 May. Vinnie Jones will lead a demonstration of CPR in front of an expected crowd of more than 80,000 at Wembley this weekend, and will be joined on the pitch by Tom Lockyer at half-time. The Luton Town captain suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch two years ago during his side's play-off final win over Coventry City, and was later fitted with an ICD. Lockyer, an ambassador for the BHF, said: 'I was just one of the more than 30,000 people who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest every year in the UK. I am lucky to be alive today, but the reality is that less than 1 in 10 people usually survive, which is why it's vital that we continue to raise awareness. The symbolic kick off times are the perfect way to make our lifesaving message impossible to ignore. 'Over the course of the last year, the EFL community – fans, players and the clubs – have come together and united behind the Sky Bet Every Minute Matters campaign to achieve something I never thought possible. 'And now, as we approach the business end of the season, the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals provide an incredible platform to continue to spread the word and bring the curtain down on a game changing year in the fight against cardiac arrest."
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Heroic 4,000km relay concludes at Wembley Stadium having successfully inspired almost 20,000 fans to start learning lifesaving CPR
The Sky Bet 'Every Minute Matters' campaign culminated at the home of English football on Monday following 28 days of almost non-stop walking, running and cycling. The unique relay – which covered an incredible 4,000km over 28 days – set out to unite the football community behind the vital mission to save more lives by equipping football fans with confidence and skills to perform lifesaving CPR. Backed by a host of football's biggest names – including Glenn Hoddle, 'Big' Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness – the relay struck a chord with football fans across the country spurring an incredible 24,230 to start learning CPR in just four weeks. Cardiac arrest survivor and Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer who has played an integral role in the campaign, said: 'It's been a rollercoaster few weeks and an incredible effort from so many determined former players, fans and employees of EFL clubs. 'My message to them and all the fans who gave up just 15 minutes of their time to learn CPR is, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 'They say football is a results business. Well, this is just about the best result I could have ever hoped for. 'In just four weeks we've seen thousands of fans give up their time to learn CPR. I've been supporting this campaign every step of the way and what has been achieved over the past year is nothing short of remarkable. It's a true testament to the power of football.' Legendary former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness, who participated in the final leg of the relay form QPR to Wembley Monday, said it had been a truly humbling experience to be part of this campaign. 'What the Sky Bet Relay has shown once again is that football can bring people together in a way that few things in life can,' he said. 'We called on football fans to give just 15 minutes of their time and they answered us in their thousands and for that I'll be forever grateful because CPR is a vital skill that saves lives.' The culmination of the relay comes almost a year after Sky Bet teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to launch 'Every Minute Matters' with the goal of encouraging an incredible 270,000 to start learning CPR by the end of the 2024-2025 football season – equivalent to three Wembley stadiums. Sky Bet separately pledged £3 million to fund the vital work of the British Heart Foundation. And with a month to go to the end of the season, the British Heart Foundation confirmed today that the campaign has encouraged 288,885 people to use the charity's online RevivR tool and to start learning the lifesaving skill of CPR. Having smashed the original target of 270,000, the year-long Every Minute Matters campaign, is setting its sights on a revised target of 360,000 people committing to learn CPR by the end of the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off final on Monday, May 26. Comedian and lifelong Leeds United fan, Maisie Adams, who participated in the final leg of the relay, spoke to the importance of the campaign. 'It's been an incredible 24 hours – it's hard to say what I'm more chuffed about Leeds United getting promoted or knowing that I've played a small part in something that's frankly more important than football, she said. 'Something that can and will save lives.' 'Having smashed through the original target, we've got one last job to do and that's make sure we reach that perfect number and no I'm not talking about Leeds getting to 100 points – although that would be nice – I'm talking about getting 360,000 people to start learning CPR.' Fans can show their support by learning CPR in just 15 minutes with the help of the BHF's free, simple and easy to use online tool, RevivR. 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 percent.
