Charity launches National Campaign for a Defibrillator in Every School at Number 10 Downing Street

12 year old Oliver King tragically died from a sudden cardiac arrest in March 2011, whilst at a swimming lesson in School. Ever since, a Foundation setup in his name has fought to save lives across the UK.

The Oliver King Foundation have now launched its National Campaign for every School across the country to have access to a lifesaving Defibrillator by 2020.

The Foundation's Founder Mark King and Charity Manager Jake Morrison were joined by several senior MPs at Number 10 Downing Street to launch the campaign. Former Education Minister and Conservative Nick Boles and Andrew Percy MP and joined Labour MP Maria Eagle.

There are 29,567 Schools across the country, with that in mind, the Foundation has set an ambitious target that by 2020, when Oliver King would have been 21 years old, every School should have a lifesaving Defibrillator.

To achieve this the Foundation will:-

1. Continue to work closely with the Department for Education and Government.

2. Develop our Defibrillator Champions initiative, which has saw over 200 MPs sign up to our campaign, passionately leading the campaign in parliament to ensure that no School or community is left behind.

3. Work to secure the support of Teacher Unions, Headteacher Forums and Councillors across the country.

The Foundation is calling for parents, teachers and local communities to support the campaign. By completing an online form on the charities website with the name of your local School and whether it has or doesn't have a defibrillator.

Mark King, Father of Oliver King and charity Founder said:- "For the last 6 years I've driven across the country personally delivering nearly 2,000 Defibrillators and the foundation has provided 1st aid training to over 22,000 people. We know that the defibrillators placed have saved the lives of 19 people. Every week 12 young people die because of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. We have to get the number of Schools without a life saving Defibrillator to zero by 2020. I miss my Ollie every day, it makes me determined to ensure that no other family has to suffer the same loss that my family has. I won't rest until we meet the target of every School having a Defibrillator by the time my Ollie would have been 21, in 2020."

Foundation Charity Manager Jake Morrison said:- "For the last 6 years we have had a very productive working relationship with Government. Securing the support of several senior minister's, over 200 MPs signed up as lifesaving defibrillator champions, 5 debates in the Houses of Parliament, and achieving a change in Government policy that recommends all Schools have a defibrillator. Now is the time to step up the campaign. Using the support of communities across the UK, working with local MPs, we are calling upon teachers, parents, MPs and Council leaders to work with the Foundation to get defibrillators in every School."

Conservative former Education Minister Nick Boles MP said:- "I want to thank Mark King and The Oliver King Foundation for their heroic efforts to ensure that every School has access to a defibrillator. Nothing can bring Oliver back but dozens of youngster's will live because of the work being done in his memory."

Senior Labour MP Maria Eagle added her support:- "My constituents Mark and Joanne King have tirelessly campaigned for this since the tragic loss of their son Oliver in 2011 when a defibrillator that may have saved his life was not available. I have supported their work from the beginning and I have no reservations in offering my full support in backing their campaign to ensure these life-saving devices are available in every School. I will continue to do everything I can to advocate for legislation to ensure this happens."

The foundation has prepared a letter for parents to contact their child's Headteacher stating they are supporting the foundation's Campaign and urging them to purchase a lifesaving defibrillator. To sign up please visit:- TheOliverKingFoundation.Co.UK.