Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley are calling on their fans and staff to support a charity relay aimed at promoting CPR education.
This is part of the Sky Bet EFL Every Minute Matters Relay, an epic 4,000-kilometre venture that spans 28 days and concludes at Wembley on April 21.
Today, March 31, Preston North End fans are running 20 kilometres from Deepdale Stadium to Ewood Park.
(Image: Supplied) Blackburn fans are gearing up to run 12 kilometres from Ewood Park to Wham Stadium, while Accrington Stanley staff will walk 15 kilometres from Wham Stadium to Burnley'z Turf Moor.
The event aims to raise awareness of CPR training as a lifesaving skill.
Preston captain Ben Whiteman said: "Especially in recent times, the world of football has sadly seen that cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anyone at any time.
"That’s why at Preston North End we believe it to be our duty to show our support for the Sky Bet Every EFL Every Minute Matters Relay."
(Image: Supplied) He added: "If we all commit just 15 minutes to learn lifesaving CPR we can make a huge impact."
The relay began on March 25 and features 72 legs, stopping at every EFL club.
It encourages fans and players to join former football stars and celebrity fans in running, walking, or cycling each leg.
The initiative comes almost a year after Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) launched Every Minute Matters, aiming to teach CPR to 270,000 individuals by the end of the 2024-2025 football season.
So far, 235,000 people have started learning CPR, with two months left to reach the target.
Read more:
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the BHF, said: "The Every Minute Matters campaign is truly lifesaving.
"Hundreds of thousands of people have already been encouraged to learn CPR, and through the efforts of participants and talent taking part in Sky Bet’s EFL Relay, we know many more will be inspired to learn this vital skill."
To learn CPR in just 15 minutes, fans can use the BHF’s free online tool, RevivR, at revivr.bhf.org.uk/efl.
