Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed met with representatives of St Andrews First Aid in the Scottish Parliament.
St Andrews First Aid is a social enterprise which provides first aid training across Scotland, including in Stirling, for workplaces and members of the public. They also share useful information to raise awareness of common first aid issues and campaign to encourage members of the public to learn valuable first aid skills.
St Andrews First Aid volunteers have also provided invaluable support to public health measures, such as supporting the Scottish Government’s mass flu vaccination program. Volunteers also logged over 3,000 hours in supporting the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in communities across Scotland.
St Andrews First Aid are also piloting a program with schools in Stirling, training primary school teachers to deliver first aid lessons to their pupils. This can be delivered in four-hour blocks to Primary 7s, or delivered in smaller lessons from P1 upwards in order to build on First Aid skills in an age appropriate manner. St Andrews First Aid will also be donating £13,000 of equipment to Stirling Primary Schools to aid in training. Coupled with this project, St Andrew’s First Aid have been delivering a new programme called ‘Ready for Life’ in Stirling Council secondary schools which gives each pupil who successfully completes the two day course, industry standard qualifications in ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’ and ‘Mental Health First Aid’.
Commenting, Evelyn Tweed MSP said:
‘It was a pleasure to meet with representatives from St Andrews First Aid to hear more about their important work and to celebrate their 140th anniversary. I welcome the excellent work St Andrews First Aid are piloting in Stirling to teach vital First Aid skills in schools, as well as their generous donations of time and equipment.
‘First aid training skills have saved many lives; in recent years record figures have been published showing that 64% of those who suffered a cardiac arrest outside of hospital received CPR from a bystander. The work of charities like St Andrews First Aid has real, lifesaving impact and they are such a valuable presence in my constituency and throughout Scotland.
Jim Dorman, Director of Operations and Community Engagement for St Andrew’s First Aid said:
“We are delighted to be working with Stirling Council to deliver our Stirling Schools project to all primary schools in the council catchment area. Our ‘Ready for Life’ programme has also been received enthusiastically by the pupils who have attended the course and these two qualifications will provide them with excellent skills to take them forward not only into employment but will enhance their personal and community resilience.”
