TWO grateful schools have been presented with lifesaving equipment over the past few days as part of the Argus-led Jack’s Appeal.

Llanwern High School in Newport was given its heart defibrillator yesterday, while Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School received one of its own last Thursday.

It comes as part of a campaign to get the machine into every secondary school in Gwent in memory of Oakdale teenager Jack Thomas who died suddenly nearly three years ago, aged just 15.

His parents, June and Grant Thomas, are yet to find out what exactly caused his death, but believe it to be associated with a possible arrhythmia.

The Argus has since teamed up with Mr and Mrs Thomas to launch Jack’s Appeal, a campaign to get the defibrillators, which cost around £1,000 each, into every secondary school in Gwent and the Rhymney Valley.

The appeal has now directly provided 17 schools with defibrillators having only been set up at the end of January this year.

Karen Jones, chief first aider and governing body member at Pontllanfraith Comprehensive, said: “Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School were honoured to receive a defibrillator from June and Grant Thomas in memory of their son, Jack.

“Pupils and staff were touched by the way they have handled their loss and changed their grief into fundraising and campaigning for a worthy cause.

“We are now eagerly waiting for our training.”

The school is also holding a Christmas Jumper Day on Friday, with a proportion of the donations going to Jack’s Appeal.

The Thomas family expressed their gratitude to the family of Robert Hamer, a friend of Jack’s grandfather who died suddenly last month.

The family donated money received in lieu of flowers at his funeral towards Jack’s Appeal.

Meanwhile, all the money raised for the defibrillator in Llanwern came from Fran Powles and her Newport fundraising group, who have been campaigning for various charities for nearly 20 years.

The 65-year-old leads the all-women group, who have named themselves 4 Hearts and Minds and decided to fundraise for Jack’s Appeal this year.

Ms Powles, from Newport, had barely started on this year’s fundraising when the chairman of Alway Community Association, David Jones, offered £1,000 to the appeal.

l There is now an easier way for Argus readers to donate by going online to welshhearts.org/jacksappeal.

Otherwise, people can donate by sending cheques payable to Welsh Hearts, to Temple Court, 13a Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9HA.

Put reference ‘Jack Thomas defibs appeal’ on the back of the envelope.