Our Appeals London Heart Starters Campaign Donate Fundraise Join our mission to place defibrillators in the heart of every community. The London Heart Starters Campaign is bringing more life-saving defibrillators to the city – in the areas where they are needed most. Everyone deserves the chance to live. When the campaign launched in July 2024, London had 150 priority neighbourhoods urgently in need of life-saving defibrillators. These were areas with either no defibrillator at all or limited access to one. Thanks to your support, there are now 84 priority neighbourhoods. But there is still work to do. Crews at London Ambulance Service responded to more than 12,200 cardiac arrests last year and fewer than one in 10 people survived. A cardiac arrest happens when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating, cutting off blood and oxygen to the body. A shock from a defibrillator can restore a normal heart rhythm to someone who is in cardiac arrest. Chest compressions – or CPR – can help keep blood and oxygen pumping to the brain and other vital organs. When this is done in the crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives, it can more than double a person’s chances of survival. Despite the progress we have made, London Ambulance Service’s latest analysis shows that 13 neighbourhoods do not have a single defibrillator, while 71 neighbourhoods have only limited access. Together, we can change this. Defibrillators are safe and simple to use and the more we install in public places, the more lives will be saved. It shouldn’t matter where in London you live – everyone deserves the best chance of surviving a cardiac arrest. Four ways to support the #LondonHeartStarters campaign 1 - Make a donation and help us fund hundreds of defibs where they are needed most. Donate to save lives 2 - Sponsor the campaign and fund multiple defibrillators. Contact Jessica Burgess, Head of Charity Development, for information. 3 - Host and becoming a guardian of a public-access defibrillator. Contact: [email protected] 4 - Fundraising for a public-access defibrillator. Start a fundraising page and get in touch for ideas about the best ways to fundraise for this campaign. Defibrillation within 3-5 minutes of collapse can produce survival rates up to 50-70% Our data shows there are areas where we need improved access to defibrillators Your donations will fund 100s of public access defibrillators where they are needed most About the campaign The London Heart Starters campaign will fundraise to ensure there are an additional 200 public-access defibrillators in unlocked cabinets where they are needed most. Our campaign uses a data-driven approach to identify defib deserts, small communities across the capital that have little to no defibrillators available to help save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest. We pledge to work with communities to identify defibrillator guardians, install public-access defibrillators, and ensure community members are trained in the life-saving skills of CPR and feel confident to use a defibrillator. About the data The London Ambulance Service has a database identifying the locations of defibrillators across the city. The analysis shows that there are fewest in areas with the highest levels of deprivation and poorest health outcomes. The stark data shows that households in deprived areas are more likely to be in one of these areas. We will be working directly with these communities, so that this life-saving equipment is available to everyone. View areas Funding needs We are pleased to share that thanks to fundraising from the London Life Hike, generous donations, and grant funding from NHS Charities Together and Greater London Authority, we are almost to our £400,000 target! NHS Charities Together have granted £142,000 from their Community Resilience Fund and the Greater London Authority have granted £150,000 and in-kind support to help with community outreach. Your donation to this campaign is the gift of life to Londoners of all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders. It could also be the gift to your own loved ones. Please give today! It costs just £1600 to fund and install a Public-Access Defibrillator and unlocked cabinet and provide training to a community that needs it most. All fully funded package public-access defibrillators and cabinets will include a label for the London Heart Starters campaign. If you would like special recognition for your group or company, this will incur an additional fee. Please get in touch so we can make arrangements to acknowledge your incredible contribution. If you are a business who would like to make a significant impact whilst meeting your corporate social responsibility objectives, please contact our Head of Charity Development, Jessica Burgess at [email protected], for our corporate sponsorship opportunities prospectus. Additional links Become a London Lifesaver - Learn CPR and defibrillation skills by watching this video and registering here. Our statement on unlocking defibrillator cabinets allow immediate access in an emergency. The London Heart Starters Campaign is made possible by our proud partners and sponsors Partners Manage Cookie Preferences