Scottish charity St Andrew’s First Aid is donating £13,000 of equipment to Stirling primary schools to aid training.
The social enterprise raises awareness of first aid issues and campaigns to encourage the public to learn valuable skills.
St Andrew’s First Aid are piloting a program with schools in Stirling, training primary school teachers to deliver first aid lessons to their pupils.
It can be delivered in four-hour blocks to P7s, or delivered in smaller lessons from P1 upwards in order to build on first aid skills in an age-appropriate manner.
St Andrew’s First Aid will also be donating £13,000 of equipment to Stirling primary schools to aid in training.
Coupled with this project, St Andrew’s First Aid have been delivering a new programme called ‘Ready for Life’ in Stirling Council secondary schools which gives each pupil who successfully completes the two-day course industry standard qualifications in ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’ and ‘Mental Health First Aid’.
Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed recently met with representatives of St Andrew’s First Aid in the Scottish Parliament to hear more about their important work and to celebrate their 140th anniversary.
She said: “I welcome the excellent work St Andrew’s First Aid are piloting in Stirling to teach vital first aid skills in schools, as well as their generous donations of time and equipment.
“First aid training skills have saved many lives. In recent years record figures have been published showing that 64 per cent of those who suffered a cardiac arrest outside of hospital received CPR from a bystander.
“The work of charities like St Andrew’s First Aid has real, lifesaving impact and they are such a valuable presence in my constituency and throughout Scotland.”
St Andrew’s First Aid director of operations and community engagement Jim Dorman said: “We are delighted to be working with Stirling Council to deliver our Stirling Schools project to all primary schools in the council catchment area.
“Our ‘Ready for Life’ programme has also been received enthusiastically by the pupils who have attended the course and these two qualifications will provide them with excellent skills to take them forward not only into employment but will enhance their personal and community resilience.”