Vital first aid classes for two Lancashire primary schools as part of a national campaign

Lea Community Primary School in Ashton-on-Ribble and Mount Pleasant Primary School in Clayton-Le-Moors were voted by the local community to receive a free, first aid workshop last month, as part of a nationwide initiative.

The workshops taught the Lancashire schoolchildren key life skills ranging from what happens to their bodies if they were hurt and how they would be treated by a grown up, to understanding basic first aid knowledge required for a first aid emergency.

The classmates at Lea Community Primary School and Mount Pleasant Primary School enjoyed their First Aid workshops courtesy of Mini First Aid (who appeared on Dragons Den this summer) as part of Savlon’s First Aid for Life campaign.

The First Aid for Life campaign provided free classes to a total of 100 schools across the country, with nominations being made by anyone from the local community via Savlon's website during the summer term.

Savlon’s initiative provides early years with award-winning first aid workshops and training, with classes being certified by The First Aid Industry Body, Association of First Aiders & Federation of First Aid Training Organisations, whilst also meeting the 2020 National Curriculum requirements.

The headteacher of Lea Community Primary School, Lynne Slater, said: “We are thrilled to have been offered this opportunity and so thankful to all the individuals that put our school forward for a nomination.

“It was lovely to see the children’s confidence and skills building throughout the session and it has left them with a great sense of independence and reassurance that they know how to act in a first aid emergency. The delivery of the session was age appropriate and skillfully delivered.”

Mrs G Whittaker, headteacher at Mount Pleasant Primary School said: “The session was so carefully thought out, insightful and informative and it was great for the children to engage in an experience like this outside of their usual classroom activities.”

The Mini First Aid course content has been crafted in partnership with educational psychologists, teachers and first aid industry bodies, and all its trainers are experienced in working with children as young as three years old.

During the sessions, the children were shown how to deal with bumps, burns, breaks, bleeding, how to carry out CPR and how to deal with choking, with children being awarded a certificate and booklet to take home at the end of the workshops.

Andrea Kyriakou, who runs the Mini First Aid classes in Lancashire, said: “It was great spending time with the children and teachers at Lea Community Primary School and Mount Pleasant

Primary School. As first aid is such a vital life lesson, it’s always such a rewarding experience being able to share your knowledge with children of a young age, providing them with skills that they not only use throughout their childhood, but later in life too.”

Mini First Aid was founded in 2014 by mum of six Kate Ball, as a response to a lack of early years focused and child-friendly first aid courses available to young parents and children.

There are now 60 branches nationwide, with workshops providing reassurance to parents and teachers that their children are equipped with the correct tools and techniques needed to remain as safe as possible.

Michelle Roberts, Head of OTC Marketing at Thornton & Ross, who own Savlon, added: “As Savlon is considered a first aid kit essential, our partnership with Mini First Aid goes hand in hand. We are proud to have been able to play a part in providing the local children of Lea Community Primary School and Mount Pleasant Primary School with these fantastic life lessons and it’s great to hear the children and teachers shared such as positive experience with the Little First Aider Academy.”