Learn How to Save a Life with ‘Restart a Heart’

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is inviting people across the South West to take part in free CPR training this October, as part of the annual Restart a Heart campaign.

The national initiative, led by Resuscitation Council UK, aims to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and give people the confidence to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use a defibrillator. Each year around 100,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – around 250 every day – but fewer than one in ten survive. Every minute without CPR reduces the chance of survival by 10%.

From Monday 13 to Sunday 19 October, SWASFT staff and volunteers will run free hands-on training sessions at venues across the region, including community halls, supermarkets, hospitals, and shopping centres. Attendees can watch CPR demonstrations, practice on manikins, and learn how to find and use a defibrillator in an emergency. Everyone completing a 15-minute session will receive a certificate.

Dave Wilmot, Volunteering and Community Services Officer at SWASFT, said:
“Every minute matters when someone suffers a cardiac arrest, and knowing what to do can make the difference between life and death. A simple act like starting CPR or using a defibrillator can more than double a person’s chances of survival. With 80% of cardiac arrests happening at home, it could be a friend or family member who urgently needs your help. Through Restart a Heart, we want to give people across our communities the skills and confidence to step in during those critical moments. These events are a chance for anyone to learn how to save a life, and we’re looking forward to welcoming people of all ages to get involved.”

Events will run at multiple locations across the South West, including:

• Mon 13 Oct: Great Torrington Golf Club (09:30–15:30)
• Tue 14 Oct: Croyde Village Hall (10:00–17:00)
• Wed 15 Oct: St Sidwell’s Leisure Centre, Exeter (09:00–19:00)
• Thu 16 Oct: Princess Theatre, Torquay; ASDA Falmouth; ASDA Bodmin (10:00–17:00 / times vary)

For those unable to attend, SWASFT encourages people to visit swast.nhs.uk/saving-lives-together for online training resources, including the British Heart Foundation’s Defib Finder tool.

Updates will be shared via SWASFT’s social media channels, with the hashtag #RestartAHeart.