Rotherham United were delighted to facilitate the presentation of a portable defibrillation unit donated by two fantastic local charities – the Jessica Lally Foundation and Start a Heart – to the official Supporters’ Club at Saturday’s Sky Bet League One fixture with Stevenage.
Representatives from both charitable organisations and members of the Rotherham United Supporters’ Club joined us pitchside at the break in Saturday’s game to see this key piece of survival equipment handed over and it will now travel on the RUSC coach to each and every away fixture.
Trish Lister – of Start a Heart – and Joan Lally – of the Jessica Lally Foundation – were the kind donors of this lifesaving kit which we are immeasurably grateful to them for facilitating to ensure the safety of our supporters on the road.
Both are local to Rotherham and have made a significant impact in the area with similar donations – one of which already adorns the North West Corner of AESSEAL New York Stadium – which will undoubtedly save lives, not just of our fans, but more broadly members of our community.
Their work is being carried out in honour of loved ones they have lost, Stuart Lister and Jessica Lally, both of whom were taken too soon. What started out in both cases as fundraising in their memory has turned into greatly impactful work within our community and a tribute befitting of the size of the holes they left in the lives of those who loved them.
The kit donated is far from inexpensive which speaks volumes of the magnitude of this donation from the two charities to our supporters and as a club, we would like to wholeheartedly thank both the Jessica Lally Foundation and Start a Heart for this incredibly kind gesture.
Speaking on behalf of the Rotherham United Supporters’ Club, Roy Squires said:
“We are extremely grateful to both Trish and Joan and all of the people at Start a Heart and the Jessica Lally Foundation for this donation, which will give all of those who travel with us an extra feeling of safety when out on the road at Millers matches.
“Having lost a member on our coach coming back from Huddersfield to a heart attack it is particularly poignant to us to be able to travel around the country with a piece of survival equipment like this one which we hope we never need to use, but we know if we do, will save lives.
“The positive effect that both Start a Heart and the Jessica Lally Foundation have had and continue to have within our community is amazing and a fantastic way to honour the memories of two people taken too soon. We’re so proud that we will be able to continue their legacy as we tell the story of where and how this defibrillator came to travel with us up and down the country following the Millers.”
