Adam’s Angels looking out for Tigers

Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson lost his life after suffering a cut to his neck during a match against Sheffield Steelers in October. And after feeling compelled to do something in the wake of Johnson’s death, sports therapist Erin Rose – who works for Tigers’ NIHL League rivals Raiders – mobilised ‘Adam’s Angels’ to raise money for enough bleed control kits for all 106 of the UK’s Elite League and National League teams.

Rose said: “The whole ice hockey community was deeply affected and having witnessed some serious cuts on the ice myself, now had to be the time to bring some peace of mind to players and their families. The response through the therapy directory I set up and a social media campaign was beyond overwhelming, and I was able to speak to Turtle within a week or so to place the order for 106 bleed control kits – one for each of the men’s and women’s National and Elite League teams within the UK.

“From there Adam’s Angels was born.

“On behalf of the 106 UK ice hockey teams that now have the kit which can control a catastrophic bleed and save someone’s live, I’d like to say a massive thank you to all of Adam’s Angels.

“Without them and their kind donations and sponsorship from the wider hockey community this wouldn’t have been possible.

“Now when the teams play their next matches, Adam and his team of Angels will be on the bench should an accident happen.”

Turtle Defib Cabinets has now shipped the first batch of their ambulance service-approved kits, with the remaining packs reaching all teams before Christmas – £5 from each kit goes to support the Daniel Baird Foundation, a charity set up in the wake of Daniel’s stabbing in Birmingham in 2017 and which supplies bleed kits.

The support for Adam’s Angels has been so extensive that the fundraising target is on the way to supply all UK junior teams with bleed control kits.

People can donate on Erin Rose’s Adam’s Angels Just Giving page.