A small charity in Worcestershire is making a big difference when it comes to equipping young people with lifesaving skills. Since launching in 2017, Heartstart Malvern has provided free CPR training to nearly 6,500 people, including hundreds of school children across the local area.
Run entirely by a dedicated team of over 20 volunteers, Heartstart Malvern focuses on strengthening the first three links in the chain of survival. The charity has also installed and maintains 36 public access defibrillators across Malvern and its surrounding villages. In 2024 alone, their efforts are believed to have helped save at least three lives.
A key element of the charity’s impact is its work in schools. Heartstart Malvern now delivers annual training sessions in all three of Malvern’s secondary schools, along with several local primary schools, with an ambition to reach every school in the area.
Training is designed to be practical, engaging and time-efficient - fitting into standard lesson times while ensuring every pupil gets hands-on experience with their own manikin and an AED trainer.
Heartstart Malvern is proud to support Resuscitation Council UK’s CPR in schools campaign, calling on UK governments, local authorities, education providers, and inspectorates to embed CPR training into existing school inspection frameworks and provide clear guidance for schools and signpost free teaching resources. If you would like to join Heartstart Malvern in supporting RCUK's CPR in schools campaign, you can add your name to the petition.
“Our work in schools has demonstrated just how receptive pupils are to learning CPR and using a defibrillator,” said Richard Vakis-Lowe, Founder and Chairman of Heartstart Malvern.