Chelsea FC has become the first Premier League club to receive dedicated epilepsy awareness, first aid and seizure training.

The training has been delivered by Epilepsy Action, which said the sessions will help equip staff “with the confidence and practical skills to recognise seizures and respond quickly and appropriately both on match days and behind the scenes”.

It added that around one in every 100 people in the UK has epilepsy, which means statistically more than 400 supporters at the club on match days could be living with the condition.

Each day there are 137 hospital admissions related to epilepsy, “underlining just how common and predictable” the condition can be, it said.

Chelsea FC health and safety trainer Amy Boyce said: “This work grew out of our commitment to making sure everyone on site feels safe and supported.

“We wanted to put clear, practical processes in place, so our teams know exactly how to respond if someone needs help, particularly on busy match days.”

According to the charity almost seven in ten people say they would feel afraid if they witnessed a seizure, which further underlines the importance of awareness training “in busy public spaces”.

She added: “Working with Epilepsy Action helped us shape practical training that’s now embedded across our teams and it’s been invaluable. It is something we would strongly recommend other teams consider as well.”

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