British Heart Foundation and Nationwide Building Society team up to teach 35,000 people the life-saving skill

A joint campaign between a heart charity and a building society is underway to train 35,000 people across the UK in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

The British Heart Foundation and Nationwide Building Society year-long collaboration is part of the charity’s efforts to reach a total of one million lifesavers trained in CPR, across the UK, by April 2017.

Close to 4,900 Nationwide employees will learn how to perform the lifesaving action and will be encouraged to teach these vital skills to over 4,000 members of local community groups in 27 regions across the UK.

Nationwide will also be funding BHF Call Push Rescue kits for 226 schools.

Without the CPR skills I have learnt from the BHF I wouldn’t have known how to help the customer.

James Hails, head of corporate partnerships at the BHF, said: “Corporate partnerships play a crucial role in our fight against heart and circulatory disease. Working with Nationwide Building Society will help us in our mission to turn the UK into a Nation of Lifesavers, where everyone has the skills and confidence to perform CPR.

“When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. That’s why we’re delighted that Nationwide Building Society is committed to training thousands of employees, school pupils and community groups in lifesaving CPR. With just 30 minutes of training in CPR, they will be given the skills that could mean the difference between life and death for someone who suffers a cardiac arrest.”

The BHF’s innovative ‘Call Push Rescue’ model of CPR training uses a self-directed learning film and an inflatable manikin to practice the techniques on, which allows companies to become self-sufficient in giving their employees these lifesaving skills.

Developing the skills has already proven vital for Nationwide Motherwell branch manager Gayle Wiseman.

Gayle performed CPR on a member of the public after falling down outside the branch. Due to the skills she had leant she knew exactly how to handle the situation before the ambulance arrived.

She said: “Without the CPR skills I have learnt from the BHF I wouldn’t have known how to help the customer. No one else knew what to do, but I just went into auto pilot and kept him alive until the paramedics arrived.”

Sara Bennison, chief marketing officer at Nationwide Building Society, said: “We’re delighted that we can support the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign by getting our people involved across the UK.

“A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age, and by training our employees and communities with the valuable skills of CPR, this will help create awareness and save lives.”