London Heart Starters campaign reaches half way mark in ambitious fundraising bid to end ‘defibrillator deserts’ around the capital

A pioneering campaign from the London Ambulance Charity to fund defibrillators for the London communities that need them most has raised £201,600.

The total means the London Heart Starters campaign is half way to meeting its ambitious goal to buy 200 life-saving defibrillators across the capital – and it’s all thanks to the incredible generosity of Londoners making donations or who have signed up to our flagship fundraising event – the London Life Hike.

Defibrillators bought as a result of the campaign are now installed ready to help people whose hearts have stopped beating – known as cardiac arrest – in high-need areas like Stamford Hill West, Barking East and Havering-atte-Bower and Chase Cross. Two of these devices are the result of a partnership between the London Ambulance Charity and the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Community Defibrillator Funding Programme.

Mick Smith, a member of the King’s Heart Church in Havering, has worked closely with the Charity to get a defibrillator installed outside his church.

He said: “Last year, while attending first aid training at the church, it became clear to me that having a defibrillator on site wasn’t just important for our club members, but for the entire community.

“Having gone through multiple open-heart surgeries, I understand just how vital it is to have life-saving resources like defibrillators accessible. This isn’t just for our church members; it’s for anyone in need.”

Jeff Davies, Night and Weekend Manager at Amhurst Hotel in Stamford Hill West which has also received a defibrillator, echoed Mick’s sentiment: “I think it’s a fantastic campaign and there should be more defibrillators everywhere.

“They’re really easy to use. We’ve installed one outside our hotel so anyone can access it in an emergency. We want to be there for our community when they need one of these devices.”

Sam Wilcox, Community Defibrillator Manager and Paramedic at London Ambulance Service, said:

“This is a pivotal moment for our Heart Starters campaign as we reach the halfway point in our fundraising goal. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported the campaign so far by either fundraising or donating money. You have made a real difference as these defibrillators save lives every year.

“But we’re not done yet. We are calling on Londoners to continue this life-saving work, helping us install more defibrillators and raise awareness. Together, we can make London a city where everyone has access to the tools they need in a cardiac emergency.”

Lizzie Moscardini, Community Resuscitation Programme Manager at the BHF said: “We are thrilled to have this partnership with the London Ambulance Charity. When we realised how our Community Defibrillator Funding Programme aligned with London Heart Starters, it became clear that working together with the clinicians at London Ambulance Service to help place life-saving equipment that our initiative offers was a no brainer.

“Fewer than one in ten people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the UK but chances of survival more than double with early CPR and defibrillation. It is vital that everyone has access to a defibrillator during such an emergency and that is what this partnership is striving to do.”

When someone has a cardiac arrest – which is when the heart stops beating and pumping blood around the body – the early use of a defibrillator more than doubles their chance of survival. Currently, analysis from London Ambulance Service shows 21 neighbourhoods where there is no access to a defibrillator, and 129 neighbourhoods where there is limited access for the local population. Please help us eradicate this gap and ensure every Londoner has a defibrillator close by.

Help us raise money for our life-saving Heart Starters campaign on our dedicated London Ambulance Charity website here or if you are feeling inspired, join us for the next London Life Hike in September to raise money for this vital cause. We are also keen to hear from Londoners in our target neighbourhoods to host a defibrillator in their area.