Rehman cheered on the Gills at MEMS Priestfield, with fellow MP Gordon Henderson.
Rehmans article in the Gills FC Magazine:
Gillingham FC vs Northampton Town – 21st October 2017
Welcome back Gills fans and what a result that was against Peterborough! I think we can also take great pride in our match against Wigan Athletic on Tuesday, where we continued our unbeaten run and secured a point against a strong team! And today, with the passionate support of fans and the team playing at its best I know we can get another fantastic result against Northampton Town!
This week I have decided to write about Restart a Heart Day – an annual initiative which aims to train as many people as possible in CPR, so that more people know these life-saving skills. For those who do not know, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR for short, is an emergency procedure in which the heart and lungs are made to function by compressing the chest over the heart and forcing air into the lungs, when the heart has failed to maintain circulation and stopped pumping on its own. CPR is advised for use on any person unresponsive with no breathing, or agonal respiration, as it is most likely that they are in cardiac arrest.
But why is Restart a Heart Day and knowing CPR so important? Nationally, there are 7 million people living with cardiovascular (heart and circulatory) disease and today alone approximately 435 people will lose their lives to it, including 110 people under 75 years of age. This means that approximately one person dies from CVD every three minutes and it is clear that if more people know how to perform CPR, the more likely they are to be able to assist someone in need and potentially save a life.
Recently in Parliament, I was delighted to attend the ‘Restart a Heart Day’ event at which I was given an introduction on how to perform life-saving CPR and I met amazing representatives from the British Heart Foundation, the St John Ambulance, and the British Red Cross. I have to admit that performing CPR on a manikin was quite challenging, not least because of the strong downward pressure needed to make the manikin’s chest ‘click’, however I came away far more prepared should I ever be in a situation where I need to perform the emergency procedure.
In the event that CPR needs to be performed, the British Heart Foundation recommend that 999 is called immediately, then to push hard and fast on the chest 30 times, followed by two rescue breaths, and to do so until the emergency services arrive. To find out more about CPR, please visit www.bhf.org.uk/cpr or call 0300 330 3322. If you get the chance, do also pop by the British Heart Foundation charity shop on Gillingham High Street, or donate any excess items you may no longer need. Let me also take this opportunity to thank all the fantastic volunteers and organisations supporting this great cause both locally and nationally.
And for a chance to win a £10 voucher to spend at the Club shop:
Which sponsor was the first to appear on Gills shirts, in the mid-1980s? (Clue: it is an Italian brand)
Tweet your answer to @Rehman_Chishti.
Your local Member of Parliament, Rehman Chishti MP