PRESS RELEASE
Jake Webb and Archie Aldridge with their special achievement award certificates
A special school assembly was held at Bredenbury Primary School recently, to make certificate presentations to two boys who had saved the life of their choking friend.
11 year old Jake Webb and 10 year old Archie Aldridge were awarded with two certificates of achievement, for their use of Heartstart basic emergency life support skills.
The children had been having their lunch in the school hall, when 10 year old Gedas Vaiciulis began choking on his sandwich. Gedas said “A hard piece that I couldn’t chew got stuck in my throat, I started coughing and I couldn’t breathe. My friends went straight into action. ”
The two boys worked quickly as a team, Archie ran to get help, whilst Jake dealt with the choking incident.
Gedas went on to say “Archie went straight to the teacher and came straight back and got my drink, whilst Jake was doing Heartstart on me. I spat some out, but the rest was cleared out by the water, by the time my teacher came, I was alright.”
Loraine Coleman, Co-ordinator/Project Manager from Herefordshire Heartstart was so impressed that she recommended both Archie and Jake to receive a special achievement award certificate from the British Heart Foundation. She also recommended to the Trustees of Herefordshire Heartstart, that the boys should also receive a special achievement certificate from Herefordshire Heartstart.
Dr John Ballance, Retiring Medical Director and Chairman for Herefordshire Heartstart and Loraine Coleman recently met with Archie and Jake at the School, to present them with the certificates.
Loraine Coleman, Archie Aldridge, Jake Webb and Dr John Ballance
The audience included parents, carers, grandparents, staff, children and PCSO Steph Annette 6440 from Bromyard Police Station, who had first contacted Herefordshire Heartstart to notify them of this amazing story.
Dr Ballance gave a short presentation about the simple skills that are taught in Heartstart and how using the correct techniques to deal with a choking casualty can quickly and effectively save a life. The boys were then asked to relay their story to the audience.
Jake explained that he did the back blows; Archie went onto explain that he ran across the hall to tell a teacher.
Dawn Wilson, Headteacher for Bredenbury Primary School, said “by the time staff got to Gedas, the food had come out. She was so pleased with what the boys had done, but also with how mature the boys had been in dealing with this situation. She said:- “they didn’t laugh or mess about, but did what they’d been taught in their Heartstart lesson and effectively helped to save his life”.
Loraine Coleman said “We would like to congratulate both Jake and Archie for having the confidence to use the Heartstart skills that they had learnt. Well done for staying calm, correctly going to get help and performing back blows. These simple actions certainly saved Gedas’s life and I’m sure he must be very grateful that you were there to help him.”
Staff from Bredenbury Primary School were trained by Herefordshire Heartstart’s Schools Heartstart Training Supervisor Loraine Coleman. Training for schools staff is delivered over the course of a day and by the end of the day, staff are signed off as Instructors to deliver Heartstart how to save a life skills to their pupils.
“If anyone doubted the benefit of children learning Heartstart emergency lifesaving skills in their school, this example should shine through and show that everyone should be given the opportunity to learn these basic skills.”
Courses are held in the community and training is also given to Schools staff To find out details of free community courses in Herefordshire or if you can help by making a donation or by organising a fundraising event visit www.herefordshireheartstart.org or contact:- Loraine Coleman, Co-ordinator and Schools Project Manager/Training Supervisor on 01432 850067 or email info@herefordshireheartstart.co.uk or you can write to Herefordshire Heartstart, PO Box 305, HEREFORD HR1 9JD
Ends
15/6/15 16.10pm
Notes to Editor:- Herefordshire Heartstart are a voluntary organisation and registered charity no 1082309. We receive no government or British Heart Foundation funding and rely on small grants, fundraising and donations to keep this vital service running.
Contact details:-
Loraine Coleman, Co-ordinator/Project Manager. Herefordshire Heartstart
Email: info@herefordshireheartstart.org
Tel: 01432 850067 or 0845 60 60 654
www.herefordshireheartstart.org
Twitter:- @HeartStart_HFD Facebook:- Herefordshire Heartstart
Herefordshire Heartstart Registered Charity No 1082309 Patron The Countess of Darnley JP. Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire