A matched-funding grant from the national charity RALPHH has enabled the Isle of Wight’s oldest rowing club to install weatherproof defibrillation equipment onto the exterior of its clubhouse. Newport Rowing Club has been in existence since 1863. It is a river-based coastal club at Hurstake Riverway, Newport and draws upon membership of a wide variety of ages. The picturesque location is also favoured by walkers and the many visitors to the Island. The defibrillator has been installed externally and is accessible 24 hours a day by obtaining an access code from the ambulance service via 999. It’s all been made possible thanks to the charity RALPHH, which helps many sporting clubs have access to defibrillation equipment with a special emphasis on rowing. Club Chair Julie Clarke was responsible for putting the club’s bid for funding together. Working with British Rowing, RALPHH has assisted clubs across the country to have suitable potential life-saving provisions, as well as sponsoring an ECG and sonic testing programme for those young people on the cusp of being selected to represent the country at international level. The charity takes its name from the late Robert Allen, who was both a National Schools Rowing Champion and a respected coach prior to his death from a heart attack in August 2018. Richard Allen, Chairman of RALPHH, says:
“We are delighted to have this first link with a sporting club on the Isle of Wight. “In the last year we have been able to at least part-fund defibrillators in 13 locations across England, with six of these being rowing clubs.”
