A BRADFORD councillor is “delighted” that a new “potentially life-saving” piece of technology has been unveiled in the district for use at local sporting and community events.

Councillor Fozia Shaheen, of the Toller ward, says that the new mobile defibrillator will be “a huge asset” to communities across Bradford.

The defibrillator was donated to Dream Big Aim High - a Girlington-based project which was founded by Cllr Shaheen in the wake of Covid - by the National Asian Cricket Council (NACC).

The donation has been made as part of a project which has seen the NACC give out £100,000 worth of the machines to organisations across the country, free of charge.

Cllr Shaheen said that the NACC has been “really supportive" and has also “showed the importance of saving lives” through its work.

“I am delighted to see this collaborative work which has brought a national campaign into the local community, for the local community”, she said.

“Incidents like the one involving Christian Eriksen at Euro 2020 acted as wake-up calls - these things can happen, and we cannot be complacent.

"We do activities across the district, so this is a very handy machine to take with us wherever we go, and we also have staff trained to use it, which is important.

“I am really grateful for the NACC’s work, and it is great to see that the organisation is working closely with the English Cricket Board to help support cricket clubs across the UK."

Cllr Shaheen is also encouraging other organisations to get in touch with the NACC to see if they can benefit from one of its donations too.

“This defibrillator is mobile, but it is still only one machine. Therefore, we are asking other organisations in the area to contact the NACC and get one too, because it is a potential life-saver”, she said.

Dream Big Aim acts as a 'one-stop shop' to help people access services across the Bradford district.

Based at Girlington Community Centre, the organisation helps those who need support with mental health, learning disabilities, education, fitness and employment.

"One of our main focuses is also getting South Asian women more involved in cricket", said Cllr Shaheen.

"We have a female-only cricket club, with ladies who have never really participated in sport before - so it is fantastic to see them coming forward.

"There have been instances locally where people have suffered cardiac arrests in cricket. So that is why it is vital that we now have this mobile defibrillator."