Harborough Footballer Delivers Petition To Downing Street

A footballer from the Harborough district whose life was saved by a defibrillator has handed in a petition to Downing Street calling for the government to scrap VAT on the devices.

Jack Hurley suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed while warming up for a North Kilworth FC game in Husbands Bosworth last year.

Fellow players performed CPR on the then 19-year-old – who had no known heart issues – and used a defibrillator to re-start his heart, which had been installed at the club house just weeks before.

Over 85,000 people have signed the petition, which was also backed by several charities and over 40 MPs.

Jack with his Dad Colin and supporters of his campaign handing the petition into 10 Downing Street

Jack, from Claybrooke Magna, started his campaign after discovering the cost of defibrillators was a barrier to some community groups being able to afford to buy them.

The campaign to axe ‘the heart restart tax’ continues and Jack spoke to HFM after handing in the petition:

Jack outside Number 10

The government says it provides VAT relief to help some organisations buy defibrillators and other first aid equipment.

A Treasury spokesperson previously said a £1m grant scheme had been set up to help community organisations buy automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

The spokesperson said: “We take the safety of the public seriously and provide several VAT reliefs to help organisations buy defibrillators and other first aid equipment.”

Jack beside a defibrillator and in hospital after his cardiac arrest