Plea to find a way to grant aid first responders in 'life-saving' act for Atherstone Ball Game steward Martyn Kellegher-Burton

First responders who helped save a steward's life at the Atherstone Ball Game deserve to benefit from an annual grants scheme designed specifically to help organisations and volunteers in North Warwickshire, councillors have been urged.

Atherstone North Councillor Ray Jarvis made a plea to find a way to get financial assistance for a body which "even have to fund a plaster they put on your finger".

He said the medical packs on their backs alone cost £2,000 as he asked the borough council's Community and Environment Board what was the procedure to get on the 'approved' list.

The medical support was first on the scene before paramedics arrived at the Shrovetide game to treat stricken steward Martyn Kellegher-Burton.

The 38-year-old was inside the ball game headquarters at Atherstone Conservative Club when he suffered cardiac episodes an hour into the event. He was revived twice before airlifted to Coventry's Walsgrave Hospital.

A JustGiving page, which can be reached here, was set up as the father-of-two's condition was "likely to be life-changing". It has just hit the third revision of its initial target with more than £5,000 raised from 250+ supporters.

Cllr Jarvis said: "The first responders literally saved a person's life at the Atherstone Ball Game."

Leisure and Community Development director Simon Powell added: "We have not had an open application process into this scheme for many years now."

Community and Environment Board chairman Margaret Bell asked: "How could we get them considered," to which Mr Powell added: "They will have to write in."

The committee was told that organisations and volunteers in Atherstone and district are facing a "significantly different" picture of financial support in the next 12 months.

Groups and dozens of individuals can expect changes in the future to requests for assistance through the local authority's grants scheme.

In the past monies North Warwickshire Citizens Advice, Live & Local, North Warwickshire Allotments Federation and Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action have all received grants, which in turn have helped the community at large.

But a report to the Community and Environment Board warns that a countywide Third Sector Infrastructure Support Services Agreement awarded annually to the WCAVA is due to finish at the end of June.

A three-month extension has been applied for while Warwickshire County Council looks to "refine the associated service specification".

The report says the subsequent nature of that service requirement has yet to be determined, adding: "Nevertheless, Warwickshire County Council has made the borough council aware that the service specification may be significantly different to that which is the subject of the current agreement."

Last year, the North Warwickshire office experienced significant staffing changes, which included the retirement of the former localities manager.

These changes, and the associated reduction in staff capacity, impacted on the number of organisations supported by WCAVA.

The committee decided last night to award similar amounts to the last year – £34,807.50 for the NWCA, £2,000 for Live & Local and £500 for the North Warwickshire Allotments Federation.

In the case of the Warwickshire CAVA, borough councilors proposed £11,875 in two instalments with a caveat because of the county council's review of the service specification associated with its support of the third sector that it was advisable to include a termination clause within any annual grant agreement with the organisation.

The board said the second payment for the award would only be made "upon satisfactory performance being achieved within the first six months and subject to approval of the nature of any service to be provided from October 2020 onwards".