Bridgewater School helps create nation of lifesavers

In support of the British Heart Foundation’s mission to train 5,000 people in life saving skills by 2020, Senior School pupils at Bridgewater School in Worsley are now receiving invaluable CPR instruction, thanks to the BHF Call Push Rescue programme.

The training is being delivered as part of the Personal, Social, Health & Economic (PSHE) education curriculum, with the school having now trained 224 students in life saving skills this year.

According to the BHF, every year in the UK 30,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital and there is currently a less than a 1 in 10 chance of survival. In countries where CPR is on the school curriculum the survival rates are 1 in 4.

Phil Lyons, Deputy Head, said: “Whilst we hope that none of our pupils will be faced with a life threatening situation, it is important that our students are prepared for not only the opportunities but also the responsibilities of later life. This subject has particular significance for us as a school following the death of a former pupil who tragically passed away following a cardiac arrest in his home in 2011. If we can do anything to help increase the survival rates, we will.”

“If we can do anything to help increase the survival rates, we will.”

Mr Lyons continues: “The training will enable our pupils to not only understand the importance of life saving techniques, but give them the confidence to act in an emergency as we equip them with the skills needed to potentially save a life.”