Wednesday 14th October 2026 – 2.15pm
A team of Community First Responders is helping more people learn life-saving skills as part of Restart a Heart Day.
Shipston Community First Responders have joined forces with Stour Valley Lions Club to launch ‘Save a Life – Stour Valley’, offering free CPR and defibrillator training to local communities across the next 12 months.
The initiative will launch on Friday (16th October), which is Restart a Heart Day, with a free training session at Ellen Badger Hospital in Shipston-on-Stour at 6.30pm.
For more than 20 years, Shipston Community First Responders have provided potentially life-saving care to patients experiencing serious medical emergencies, often arriving before ambulance crews.
The volunteers also maintain a network of 70 defibrillators across the Stour Valley, which are available for use during life-threatening emergencies. These defibrillators are currently being activated, on average, twice a month.
Shipston Community First Responder Stuart Eastbury said: “With such a fantastic network of defibrillators now in place, it is only logical that we give the skills to as many local residents as possible, teaching CPR techniques and how to use a defibrillator.
“We want ‘Save a Life – Stour Valley’ to do just that.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service Community Response Manager, Tim Cronin, added: “Community First Responders play an invaluable role in helping us save lives, and the work being done by our volunteers in Shipston is a fantastic example of the difference they make.
“Having 70 defibrillators available across the local community is an incredible achievement, but it’s equally important that people have the confidence to use them.
“When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. By learning CPR and how to use a defibrillator, anyone can make a life-saving difference before an ambulance arrives.
“I’d encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of this free training. You never know when you might need these skills to save someone’s life.”
Following Friday’s launch, further free training sessions will be offered across the Stour Valley, helping more people gain the confidence to act when every second counts.
To book a place or enquire about future sessions, please email [email protected]
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