At venues across the North West, NWAS-trained volunteers will be running free drop-in sessions to teach members of the public basic life-saving skills, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), helping them learn what to do in the event that someone they know suffers a cardiac arrest. The BBC are also hosting sessions at their local radio studios in Blackburn and Liverpool.

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Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the UK, with survival rates decreasing by up to 10% for every minute without intervention. Immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.

Sessions will take place on 16th October, coinciding with Restart a Heart Day, a day led by the Resuscitation Council that aims to increase public awareness of cardiac arrest and the number of people who know CPR.

The areas where NWAS will be holding sessions include.

  • Carlisle, Cumbria, Carlisle United FC
  • Workington, Cumbria
  • Barrow in Furness, Cumbria
  • Kendal, Cumbria
  • Fleetwood, Lancashire
  • Lancaster, Lancashire
  • Blackburn, BBC Radio Lancashire
  • Southport, Lancashire
  • Liverpool, BBC Radio Merseyside
  • Crosby, Merseyside
  • Thatto Heath, St Helens
  • Bolton, Greater Manchester
  • Hazel Grove, Stockport
  • Culcheth, Cheshire

Cheryl Pickstock, NWAS Community Resuscitation Manager, says, “CPR is a vital part of the chain of survival and if started early can make all the difference to someone who has gone into cardiac arrest. We want as many people as possible to have these basic skills and then the confidence to use them.

“Thank you to the BBC for helping us highlight this important opportunity. And please register to attend one of our sessions. We think it’s really worth spending just half an hour to learn something that could save the life of a family member, loved one, friend or even a stranger!”

To find details of the available sessions, including their locations and times, and to book a space, please visit nwas.eventbrite.co for more information.

Kate Squire, the BBC’s Senior Head of Content Production for the North West and North East, said: “Our communities are at the heart of everything we do and we’ve seen firsthand how important CPR skills are.

“We’re delighted to be working with the North West Ambulance Service to support these free, accessible sessions as part of Restart a Heart Day”.

An Ambulance care assistant from our Patient Transport Service (PTS) recently performed life-saving CPR to a passer-by in need while off-duty

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