Local charity founder nominated as Community Hero

Our Norwich City Community Hero for March is Jayne Biggs from Great Yarmouth, who is the founder and fundraiser of local charity, Heart 2 Heart.

Heart 2 Heart was founded and is run by our Community Hero, who raises money to place 24/7 defibrillators all across Norfolk.

The charity was set-up following a sudden cardiac arrest that Jayne’s daughter, Violet, suffered back in 2013. Four years later, Heart 2 Heart was set up.

Jayne explains: “Violet would never have survived without early CPR and defibrillation. 

“She was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome and had an ICD implanted; the same device as Christian Eriksen.

“I decided to raise money to place a couple of public access 24/7 defibrillators locally, as Norfolk and Suffolk were two of the worst places in the UK for the lack of 24/7 defibrillators.

“Heart 2 Heart is 100% non-profitable and we do it all voluntarily.”

Jayne has placed over 260 defibrillators so far in Norfolk and Suffolk and has saved three lives by doing so.

Some of the many places Jayne has been setting up the defibrillators include local football clubs, pubs, shops, village halls, schools, churches and even phone boxes.

Jayne also holds CPR and defibrillator training in the community, teaching valuable life skills to children in schools; some as young as five years old.

Jayne was nominated by her friend, Lisa, and selected as our hero by Norwich City partner, Visit Tampa Bay, as part of their Tampa Takeover Day at the Canaries’ fixture against Sunderland on March 12th.

The two friends have known each other for 38 years after they met in high school. Lisa said: “Jayne is a fun, bubbly person who has the ability to light up a room when she walks in with her infectious laugh and easy-going personality. 

“She goes above and beyond helping others, raising money by hosting charity events, she never stops!”

Since 2019, Fosters has joined our partners Norwich City Football Club in highlighting the great work of local individuals and organisations in our community. Every month during the football season, a ‘Community Hero’ is chosen for a selected matchday – providing an opportunity to showcase that person(s) or initiatives selfless work or important community campaign. Previous Community Heroes have included young carers, veterans, equality campaigners, charity fundraisers and their beneficiaries.

If you would like to nominate someone, please visit the Norwich City web page here.