Shoppers in Fareham to be taught CPR by leisure centre staff - and it won't cost a penny
"It is so important that as many people as possible know how to perform CPR.”
High street shoppers will have the chance to learn potentially lifesaving CPR for free when leisure centre staff bring demonstrations to the town centre this Friday.
The drop-in workshops, organised by Everyone Active to mark Restart a Heart Day on October 16, will run from 10am to 4pm.
Staff from Fareham Leisure Centre and Holly Hill Leisure Centre will show members of the public how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and give them the opportunity to practise the techniques.
The sessions will take place either at the bandstand outside Fareham Shopping Centre or in an indoor area near the sand pit. The event is open to everyone, with no booking or leisure centre membership required.
Restart a Heart Day is an annual initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and encourage more people to learn CPR.
Ryan Grant, contract manager at Everyone Active, said: "Leisure centres play an important role in their local communities, and we're always looking for opportunities to help people develop skills that could one day save a life.
"By taking our CPR workshops into the heart of Fareham, we hope to reach people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn these valuable skills. Everyone is welcome to stop by, get involved and find out more about how they could help someone in an emergency."
Cllr Frair Burgess, executive member for leisure and community, said knowing how to perform CPR could make the difference between life and death.
She added: "It is so important that as many people as possible know how to perform CPR. We all hope never to need it, but it could make the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.
"This initiative from Everyone Active is a fantastic opportunity to learn these lifesaving skills for free, so I really encourage anyone interested to drop in to one of the town centre workshops on 16 October."
Fareham Leisure Centre is managed by Everyone Active on behalf of Fareham Borough Council. The free workshops will run from 10am to 4pm on Friday, October 16, in Fareham town centre.