During Bexley Cricket Week at Manor Way a family from the borough has mounted a week-long fundraising effort to pay for heart screening for young people. The event — running alongside daily cricket fixtures — uses two stationary bikes in a marquee, with at least one bike kept in continuous use for 24 hours a day throughout the seven days of the festival.
From on-field triumphs to off-field purpose
On the field Bexley Cricket Club opened the week with a convincing Premier Division victory over Minster and has scheduled matches every day to draw spectators. Off the field the focus is on a sustained fundraising push organised by Danny and Donna Aldred together with their sons, Ben and Jack.
The campaign supports Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and was inspired by Ben Aldred’s medical emergency while overseas. Before starting a cricket scholarship in Australia in October 2022, Ben suffered a cardiac arrest near a beach in Perth. Immediate CPR from a relative and the rapid intervention of paramedics revived him, but he remained in a coma for 72 hours.
| Key point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Incident | Cardiac arrest in Perth, October 2022 |
| Aftercare | 72 hours in a coma; fitted with a subcutaneous ICD |
| Ongoing | Annual checks and continuing sporting activity |
Why screening matters locally
Testing after Ben’s collapse revealed a mild abnormality of a valve in his left ventricle. Clinicians have said such a condition could, in some cases, be identified and managed with appropriate screening. In response, Ben launched the MyHeart fund to enable young cricketers in South East London and North West Kent to receive CRY screening that combines an ECG with an echocardiogram.
The family have staged the static-bike fundraiser at Bexley for four consecutive years. Their organisers are present on site for long periods each day to supervise the marquee and the bikes, and to maintain momentum for donations.
"We will continue to support CRY and raise funds because horrifically the UK figure still stands at 12 deaths a week in young adults through an undiagnosed heart condition. We are truly blessed, that 3 years on from his cardiac arrest, Ben continues to live a full and sporting life and has just graduated from Loughborough University."
What this means for residents
The fundraiser links a high-profile local sporting event with public health outreach. For Bexley residents it provides:
- Increased awareness of sudden cardiac arrest risks in apparently fit young people;
- Local access to funded screening offers for young cricketers in the area through MyHeart and CRY;
- Volunteer and donation opportunities during the week-long festival at Manor Way.
Ben’s case also underlines the importance of immediate bystander action. His survival followed prompt CPR from a family member and timely paramedic care — a reminder of how lifesaving basic resuscitation skills can be.
While the cricket on the pitch will continue to attract supporters through the week, the Aldred family’s sustained presence in the marquee ensures that Bexley Cricket Week remains a civic as well as a sporting occasion — combining community entertainment with an ongoing push to reduce the number of young lives lost to undiagnosed heart conditions.
