Over 240 students at Alleyne’s High School learnt how to save a life following a visit from Staffordshire HeartStart.
The Year 9 students (aged 13 and 14) and 14 teachers were taught how to save a life by staff and volunteers from West Midlands Ambulance Service. During the day’s events at the school, children were taught how to put someone into the recovery position, taught CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) techniques along to the helpful beats of Bee Gees’ ‘Staying Alive’, as well as learning about the management of severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, choking and chest pain.
In April, in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation, West Midlands Ambulance Service embarked on a project to train 60,000 people in Staffordshire in basic first aid. The free two0hour HeartStart courses are aimed at anyone aged 10 and over and cover various lifesaving and first aid techniques.
Following the visit to Alleyne’s School the Trust has now taught over 2,000 people in this free course and is well on its way to hitting its next milestone of 3,000.
Matt Heward, Community Response Manager for WMAS, said: “The day went extremely well and both the children and instructors thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Getting schools like Alleyne’s High involved in this project is excellent news for the Trust and helps to ensure that children learn these vital lifesaving skills at a young age. Once again I would like to express my thanks to the staff and volunteers who have given up their own time to help deliver these courses to such a high and professional standard.”
Becky Gerrard, Head of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) / Citizenship at the school, said: “Alleyne’s would like to thank all those who ran and supported the HeartStart course as part of our PSHE curriculum day. Alleyne’s is committed to ensuring the safeguarding of our students and the lifesaving skills that they have acquired certainly support us in this. The students thoroughly enjoyed their courses and have learned vital life skills.”
If you would like the HeartStart team to visit your school or workplace, or if you would just like to learn how to save a life and take part in one of the public sessions, contact the team via 01785 237341, email heartstartstaffordshire@wmas.nhs.uk or visit the team’s website here.
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