Boxing clubs throughout the country have been awarded a vital defibrillator as part of the Maverick Stars 'Keep the Beat' campaign.
April, Shay and Savannah
The initiative aims to promote CPR techniques along with donating fifty defibs to amateur gyms. Headed up by Maverick ambassador April Hunter - who lost her cousin and best friend Paul Gardner to cardiac arrest in 2018 - the project is being run in conjunction with the charity set up in Paul's name, PGCPR.
The campaign also has the full support of April’s friend, world champion middleweight Savannah Marshall and Newcastle and Ireland goalkeeping legend Shay Given.
Sudden cardiac arrest in young people – including high-profile athletes – has increasingly been making headlines in recent years. Each year in the UK there are more than 30,000 ‘out-of-hospital’ cardiac arrests. The survival rate is less than one in ten. In some cases, performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival. 
Maverick Stars has provided the defibrillators to amateur boxing clubs most in need. It will help meet the requirement that every England Boxing member club will need to have access to and know how to use a lifesaving defib by 1st June 2022.
England Boxing Head of Community Development, Avoen Perryman, said: "For the fifty boxing clubs that the team at Maverick Stars Trust have selected to support with this amazingly generous offer, I just want to say congratulations and well done. It is great to see that your clubs will now have this key piece of equipment installed.
"To the remaining clubs who didn't make Maverick's final fifty, your regional Club Support Officers are on-hand to support and advise with securing a defibrillator in time for the June 1st deadline. There is also a new support page and guidance information available on our website.
"So often in our wonderful sport, we hear people say that 'boxing saved my life', and whilst that is true for so many, this vital piece of equipment at fifty new boxing clubs across the country could quite literally save lives for years to come.
"Thank you to Charlotte, and all the staff, volunteers and clubs that are part of the Maverick Stars Trust family. I know your efforts are greatly appreciated by EB's clubs."
