More than 100 students at Queen Ethelburga’s College will receive CPR training on Friday, 16 October, as part of Restart a Heart Day 2026.
The initiative, delivered by QE Training Academy, aims to give young people the knowledge and confidence to respond if they witness a cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time. Starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) promptly and using a defibrillator as soon as possible can improve the chances of survival while emergency services are on their way.
Anna Potter, a Yorkshire Ambulance Service Community First Responder and First Aid Lead at QE Training Academy, said:
CPR is one of those skills that you hope you never need to use, however, knowing how to act quickly and confidently if needed can truly save a life. We’re incredibly proud to be training students at Queen Ethelburga’s College for Restart a Heart Day. Our aim isn’t just to teach a technique, it’s to give young people the confidence to recognise an emergency, call for help and start doing something that could ultimately save a life.
The training forms part of Restart a Heart, an initiative that raises awareness of cardiac arrest and encourages more people to learn CPR and other lifesaving skills.
QE Training Academy says that introducing these skills in schools can help young people feel more prepared to act in an emergency, whether at school, at home or in the wider community.
Anna added:
We want young people to leave their training thinking, ‘I know what to do.’ That confidence is incredibly powerful. Whether you’re a child learning CPR for the first time, a parent, teacher or member of the public, everyone has the potential to make a difference.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service has supported schools taking part in Restart a Heart for 13 years.
More information about Restart a Heart and CPR training is available from the Resuscitation Council UK’s Restart a Heart campaign.
QE Training Academy provides practical training to help individuals and organisations develop the skills and confidence to respond effectively in an emergency. Its instructors, Anna Potter and Nigel Threlfall, are also Community First Responders for Yorkshire Ambulance Service.