Club pledges to support special ‘Jersey Day’

WIDNES VIKINGS will be supporting ‘Rugby League Jersey Day’ in support of the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund.

The event is to take place on May 26 when members of the Rugby League community will be asked to wear their favourite rugby league jersey and make a suggested donation of £5 towards the cause. Wales international Danny died following a cardiac arrest on May 3, 2015 in a game between Keighley Cougars and London Skolars.

Danny’s wife, Lizzie Jones, is now campaigning to raise funds to purchase defibrillators which can be placed in rugby league clubs and public places for immediate access in the event of a cardiac arrest which in conjunction with effective CPR massively increases the chance of survival should the unfortunate happen.

The defibrillators known as AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) cost around £1000 each and no training is required to use them, meaning that any person present can attach the device which gives its own clear verbal instructions as the user goes through the process. The devices are also designed so that they cannot be used wrongly as they will not deliver a shock to a patient in cardiac arrest unless it is suitable to do so.

Other events are to be announced in the near future in support of Jersey Day in association with Rugby Street, a sportswear manufacturer who are producing promotional rugby shirts for the campaign. The jerseys are going to be red, white and green in colour to represent Danny’s club and national colours and will be adorned with the number 6.

Of special interest to Widnes fans, 2017 also represents the 80th anniversary of Keighley’s only Challenge Cup Final appearance in 1937 when they lost 18-5 to the Chemics at Wembley.

The shirts will also be emblazoned with a traditional badge, the DJ Fund emblem and the Wembley date as a commemoration. ● Anyone wishing to take part in Jersey Day 2017 can make a donation via PayPal to rljerseyday@gmail.com and enquiries can be made to the same email address. ● Details of other fundraising events in support of Jersey Day will also be announced in due course and details of how to purchase commemorative rugby shirts will appear on the Facebook pages, Rugby League Shirts Buy Sell Swap and Rugby Street Ltd or www. rugbystreet.org.uk