St John Ambulance volunteers in Merseyside are giving free demonstrations of life saving skills as part of the annual Restart a Heart campaign in October.

Residents can attend Upton Victory Hall on Salacre Lane on October 16 between 3.30pm and 6.30pm to watch and learn skills from volunteers that could help save lives.

The session is free to attend and includes practical information on how to understand the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack, how to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and how to deliver shocks to the heart with a defibrillator.

Dr Lynn Thomas, Medical Director at St John Ambulance, said: “We didn’t have to ask our volunteers twice about supporting this year’s Restart a Heart campaign.

“They are keen, especially after the last 18 months, to get back out there, face-to-face or online, and upskill their friends, families and neighbours in these vital first aid techniques.

“A cardiac arrest can happen any time and without warning so ensuring that people have that knowledge when confronted with a heart-related emergency is vital and increases the chances of saving a life.

“Coupled with this, we are concerned that as many members of the public as possible regain the confidence to deliver bystander CPR to casualties when they are most in need of support.”

While Restart a Heart Day is on Saturday October 16, St John’s trained volunteers are arranging demonstrations in locations around the country between 9 and 23 October, to give people opportunities to attend and learn essential first aid skills.

Led by the Resuscitation Council UK, the partners in Restart a Heart include St John, The British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, NHS England and Improvement, Save a Life for Scotland, Save a Life Cymru, and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

For more information about this Restart a Heart event, or if you would like to book a place, please contact community.engagement@sja.org.uk.