Boxing clubs throughout the country have been awarded a vital defibrillator as part of the Maverick Stars 'Keep the Beat' campaign.

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 1^st 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."

Maverick Stars Trust has launched a nationwide initiative to provide vital defibrillators and CPR awareness for England Boxing member clubs. Sudden cardiac arrest in young people – including high-profile athletes – has increasingly been making headlines in recent years.

Helping to educate and enable people to act when an incident occurs is a cause close to the heart of Maverick ambassador April Hunter, whose family has established the charity PGCPR, which has set up a free app that assists in delivering CPR.

The Geordie boxer’s cousin, Paul Gardner, died on his 24th birthday while on holiday in 2018 and April has campaigned for better CPR awareness ever since.

“He (Paul) was in Ibiza with his friends and he got into difficulty in the water,” April explained. “He was the only one who knew CPR. He was still breathing; his heart was still beating when he was out of the water.

“Even if someone knew CPR, you never know, but it would have been nice if someone there had given him the best chance. I want to highlight the importance of CPR and defibs.”

April’s friend and training partner Savannah Marshall has also pledged her support to the Maverick Stars defib campaign. The middleweight world champion attended a recent meeting to launch the campaign alongside football legend and Maverick ambassador Shay Given.

Each year in the UK there are more than 30,000 ‘out-of-hospital’ cardiac arrests. The survival rate is less than one in 10. In some cases, performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival.

Maverick Stars Trust is now committed to providing 50 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 life-saving defibrillator by 1st June 2022.