Family of Edinburgh footballer Jamie Skinner who died on pitch hopes 'people will always remember him'

Jamie died following a cardiac arrest on the pitch. The charity set up in his memory has provided over 100 life-saving defibrilators in communities.

The family of young footballer Jamie Skinner who died while playing football in Edinburgh said they hope 'people will always remember his name' as they wound up a charity founded in his memory.

The 13-year-old Liberton High School pupil collapsed during his debut match for Tynecastle FC in 2013.

More than 10 years after setting up the Jamie Skinner Foundation his family said it's 'time to move on' and give all the proceeds to the British Heart Foundation.

The Jamie Skinner Foundation is winding up after ten years providing defibrillators in communities and educating the public on how to use the life-saving devices

Jamie's big sister Sonia said the family will 'never stop grieving' the talented youngster, who was tipped to play football professionally and had several clubs scouting for him.

He was rushed from Saughton Sports Complex to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on December 22 but couldn't be saved. Tragically, there was a defibrillator on the premises - but players and others who tried to save him didn't know.

His family were later told that Jamie had an enlarged heart, which could have contributed to his cardiac arrest. They will never know whether a defibrillator might have saved his life. 

As Jamie’s parents George and Queen tried to come terms with the heartache of losing their son, older siblings Sonia and Tony, and his cousin Karen knew they had to do something.

Determined to help save others Jamie's family set up the charity to increase the number of life-saving defibrillators available around the Lothians and train people how to use them.

Jamie's big sister Sonia said: “It was hard for the family. We kept wondering if a defibrillator could have saved him,giving more time until the ambulance arrived.

“We didn’t even realise young people could have a cardiac arrest. When we understood, we wanted to get as much awareness out to people as possible and tell them you don’t have to be old, unfit, or a smoker, for this to happen.

“For the first two to three years, because we were so busy, we didn’t have time to sit and grieve. Every weekend we were doing something and every penny that we raised went into supplying defibs."

More than a decade later, the foundation has raised thousands of pounds, funded over 100 defibs, and trained hundreds of people in CPR.

As Jamie's birthday approaches in April, Sonia says it's still the hardest time of year for the family. But it's a comfort to know they have helped keep his memory alive.

“He had so much potential. Everyone knew he was going to be on TV one day, he was going to play football, he would make something of himself," she said.

"Sometimes his name will pop up and I’ll think he would be in his twenties now, or I’ll see some of his friends’ and wonder what Jamie would be doing if he was around. It’s finally time to move on. I don’t think we’ll ever stop grieving, but we did what we set out to do and people will always remember Jamie’s name.”

For heart attack victims, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces chances of survival by 10 per cent.

Thanks to the family's campaign, defibrillators are now in place across many communities and registered on the Circuit – the nationwide network which shows where defibs can be found. The family hopes more people feel confident about using them and more lives will be saved.

David McColgan, head of the British Heart Foundation Scotland, said: “We have always been inspired by the Jamie Skinner Foundation and the incredible work they have done over the past 10 years to spread awareness and save lives in the wake of the tragedy.

“We’re touched that the charity should donate their final funds to the British Heart Foundation and they should know that Jamie’s legacy will live on, not least in the defibs' now across Scottish communities but also in the many hundreds of people who have been trained in CPR who continue to spread the word.”