Learn how to help save lives at free CPR demos

St John Ambulance volunteers on the Isle of Wight are once again giving free demonstrations of life saving skills as part of the annual Restart a Heart campaign in October.

Each session is free to attend and includes practical information on how to understand the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack, how to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and how to deliver shocks to the heart with a defibrillator.

Where and when
To access the free demos, see the dates and places below:

16 October – 9.30am to 4.30pm, Tesco, Ryde
16 October – 9.30am to 4.30pm, St Thomas’ Square, Newport
21 October – 7pm to 9pm, St John Ambulance HQ, DodnorPark, 12 Manners View, Newport
23 October – 9.30am to 4.30pm, Tesco, Ryde.

For more information or if you would like to book onto a Virtual or Face-to-Face CPR and AED session, please email [email protected].

Fall in bystander CPR rates
Bystander CPR rates fell in some areas of the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this year’s campaign is to resume training (both on- and offline), restore confidence in performing CPR and using a defibrillator, and reach people who may have found it challenging to access training resources, by making resources available in a range of languages.

The participating organisations want to ensure that everyone has a chance to learn CPR – and that those having a sudden cardiac arrest have their best chance of survival.

Thomas: A cardiac arrest can happen any time and without warning
Dr Lynn Thomas, Medical Director at St John Ambulance, said,

“We didn’t have to ask our volunteers twice about supporting this year’s Restart a Heart campaign. They are keen, especially after the last 18 months, to get back out there, face-to-face or online, and upskill their friends, families and neighbours in these vital first aid techniques.
“A cardiac arrest can happen any time and without warning so ensuring that people have that knowledge when confronted with a heart-related emergency is vital and increases the chances of saving a life.
“Coupled with this, we are concerned that as many members of the public as possible regain the confidence to deliver bystander CPR to casualties when they are most in need of support.”