Independent Gyms teams up with Defib Supplies and the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation to close the defibrillator gap in independent fitness facilities

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Independent Gyms teams up with Defib Supplies and the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation to close the defibrillator gap in independent fitness facilities

A three-way partnership gives independent gym owners across the UK and Ireland a route to on-site defibrillator cover, as The Complex Gym becomes the first JE3 certified gym in the country.

Independent Gyms, the UK and Ireland’s largest network of independent gym owners, has partnered with defibrillator supplier Defib Supplies, part of Kent based medical device company Intermedical (UK) Ltd, and the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation (JE3) to help support the foundations push to make defibrillators mandatory in all sports and health facilities across the UK.

Around 30,000 people suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the UK every year, and fewer than one in ten survive. Where a defibrillator is used in the first few minutes, survival chances rise sharply. Yet current UK legislation does not require health and fitness facilities to hold a defibrillator on site, meaning thousands of gyms, studios and training spaces open their doors every day without one.

Independent operators feel that gap most acutely. Larger chains increasingly carry defibrillators as a matter of group policy, while single site gyms, studios and strength and conditioning facilities are left to fund and source equipment themselves, often while running staffed hours that do not cover the whole time the doors are open.

The Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation was founded in memory of former Tottenham Hotspur defender and Leyton Orient manager Justin Edinburgh, who died in 2019 aged 49 following a cardiac arrest in his gym. The Foundation campaigns for Justin’s Law, a legislative change that would make automated external defibrillators (AEDs) mandatory in all health and sports facilities in the UK. Alongside the campaign, JE3 donates defibrillators to clubs, schools and community organisations and delivers CPR training, so that more people are both equipped and confident to act.

Through the partnership, Independent Gyms members will be able to access the Progetti Rescue SAM 4.0 on a dedicated campaign package of £699 +VAT. Every unit sold will also support the Foundation with a £50 donation.

The partnership also marks the launch of the JE3 Certified Gym Programme, a collaborative scheme between the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation, Defib Supplies and Independent Gyms that recognises facilities meeting an agreed standard for on-site defibrillator provision. To be certified, a gym must hold a rescue-ready defibrillator, meaning in-date pads and a live battery, have staff trained in CPR and defibrillator use, and register the device on The Circuit, the British Heart Foundation’s national defibrillator network, so ambulance services can direct 999 callers to it in an emergency.

Charlie Edinburgh, CEO of the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation

“We are incredibly proud to see the JE3 Certified Gym Programme officially underway. This is another significant step forward in our mission to create safer environments and ensure more people have access to lifesaving skills and equipment when they need them most. Justin’s legacy has always been about making a real and lasting difference, and we look forward to seeing that legacy continue to positively impact health and sports facilities across the UK for many years to come.”

Livio Gagliardi, Acting Managing Director of Defib Supplies

“Independent gyms are the ones most often left out of this conversation. They do not have head office budgets or a facilities team, and they are frequently open early, late and unstaffed at the quietest hours. Those are exactly the conditions where a defibrillator matters most. Working with JE3 and Independent Gyms lets us take the cost and the guesswork out of it, so that having an AED on the wall becomes the normal thing to do rather than the exception.”

Robert Handy, Founder of Independent Gyms

“We’re really pleased to be supporting Defib Supplies and the JE3 Foundation on a campaign that has the potential to make a genuine difference across the independent gym sector.

For many gyms, a defibrillator has historically felt like an expensive addition rather than an essential piece of equipment, and when operators are balancing investment in equipment, facilities, staffing and rising running costs, it can understandably get pushed further down the list.

This campaign helps to change that by making a defibrillator far more accessible to independent gym owners, while also supporting the important work of the JE3 Foundation through the £50 donation from every unit purchased.

When somebody suffers a cardiac arrest, the speed of the response is critical. The more gyms we can help equip with defibrillators, the greater the opportunity to respond quickly and effectively when it matters most. Ultimately, this is about giving gym owners another way to protect their members, their teams and their wider communities.”

The first JE3 certified gym

The Complex Gym in Dartford, Kent is the first facility in the UK to be certified under the programme, and the first to have the Rescue SAM 4.0 installed. The independently owned gym is also backing the campaign for Justin’s Law. The Complex Gym opened in 20th July 2025 and is coowned by Adam Young and Ellie Boys. Just over a year later it has more than 1,300 members.

Ellie Boys, Co-Founder of The Complex Gym

“We’re incredibly proud that The Complex Gym is the first gym to have this type of defibrillator installed. For us, a gym should be more than just a place to train, it should be a place where the health and safety of every member comes first.”

“We’re equally proud to support the JE3 Foundation and its mission to get these life-saving defibrillators into all UK health and sports facilities across the country. If having the right equipment in the right place can help save even one life, it’s something the entire fitness industry should get behind.”

“We hope that by being the first, The Complex Gym can help set a new standard and encourage gyms everywhere to follow.”

The Rescue SAM 4.0 is designed for use by untrained bystanders as well as trained first aiders. It guides the user through resuscitation with clear voice prompts and a metronome, analyses the patient’s heart rhythm on board, and runs periodic self-tests to confirm it is ready for use. It is available in semi-automatic and fully-automatic versions, the latter delivering a shock without any button press once a shockable rhythm is detected, which is intended to reduce hesitation in the first critical minutes.

Gym owners can find out more at https://independentgyms.co.uk/supplier/defib-supplies/health-andsafety/ or contact the Defib Supplies team on 01732 400103 or email sa***@**************co.uk Supporters can also sign the Justin’s Law petition https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-justinslaw-defibrillators-in-all-health-and-sporrs-facilities-in-the-uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors

About Independent Gyms

Independent Gyms is the largest network of independent gym owners and operators in the UK and Ireland. Formed in 2018, it supports independently owned fitness facilities through an online community, in person events, business resources and a supplier partner network. More at independentgyms.co.uk.

About the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation

The Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation was established in memory of Justin Edinburgh, the former professional footballer and manager who died in June 2019. Led by his son and CEO Charlie Edinburgh, JE3 donates defibrillators to sports clubs, schools and community organisations, delivers CPR training and awareness work, and campaigns for Justin’s Law. More at je3foundation.com.

About The Complex Gym

The Complex Gym is an independently owned fitness facility in Dartford, Kent and the first gym in the UK to be certified under the JE3 Certified Gym Programme. Founded in 20th July 2025 with over 1300 members in over founders, More at thecomplexgym.co.uk

About Defib Supplies

Defib Supplies is the defibrillator division of Intermedical (UK) Ltd, supplying defibrillators, accessories and consumables to workplaces, schools, sports facilities and community organisations across the UK. It is ISO 13485 certified. More at defibsupplies.co.uk.

About the Rescue SAM 4.0

The Rescue SAM 4.0 is manufactured by Progetti Medical and distributed in the UK by Defib Supplies, part of Intermedical (UK) Ltd. It is available in semi automatic and fully automatic versions. (10 years warranty, IP rating of 55 and a 4 year battery life)

Media contact

Richard Haynes

Marketing Team- ma*******@*************co.uk

For interview requests, product imagery and campaign assets.

Assets available on request

High resolution product photography, partner logos and brand assets, campaign creative, spokesperson headshots and interview availability.