Crucial Crew is a multi-agency safety event aimed at 10 to 11-year-olds and is designed to provide children with vital life skills and safety advice. The agencies which took part in the most recent event alongside us included Greater Manchester Police (GMP), British Transport Police (BTP), the Metrolink, Oldham Social Service and the Madlho centre staff.

During the five-day event, each organisation put on a workshop using scenarios to bring to life different situations. Workshop topics explored safety around basic life support, rail safety, transport links, hate crimes, and cyber awareness amongst others.

Blue Light Collaboration and Engagement Manager/Paramedic David McNally said: “Crucial Crew is a fantastic way of getting young people involved in making a difference in their community. It is a fun and innovative way of getting valuable safety, security and respect messages across to the younger members of our community, who will hopefully remember what they have learned, and put this into practice, should the need arise.

“It has been hard work and a quick turnaround, training so many new lifesavers but it has been an incredibly worthwhile opportunity to engage with these children as they move on to high school and become more independent members of their communities.  The skills they have learned with us are ones we hope they never need, but embedding the Chain of Survival principles and teaching basic life support skills along with defibrillator awareness, will equip them with lifesaving skills should the need ever arise.’