A free community training session will take place at the Memorial Hall, Smithfield Street, Oswestry (SY11 2EG) on Saturday, 18th October at 11:00am, offering local residents a chance to learn how to save a life through CPR and defibrillator use.
The 90-minute, hands-on session will teach attendees how to perform effective Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and correctly use a public access defibrillator—the yellow, wall-mounted units now installed in various locations around the town.
This training is especially vital as ambulance station closures and increased hospital waiting times put greater pressure on emergency response systems. Local communities play a critical role in the immediate response to cardiac arrests, and having trained individuals nearby can make all the difference.
The session will be delivered by a team of serving and retired Community First Responders (CFRs)—highly trained volunteers who work alongside the ambulance service and are often first to arrive at the scene of a medical emergency. Their real-life experience in handling cardiac arrests makes this training both practical and relevant.
Mike Lade, a retired CFR with 15 years of experience in both West Midlands and South East Coast Ambulance Services, is organising the session. He explains:
“In a cardiac arrest, the first three links in the Chain of Survival are early recognition, early CPR, and early defibrillation. When someone’s heart stops, the brain begins to die at a rate of about 10% per minute due to lack of oxygen.
By starting CPR immediately, it’s possible to manually pump oxygenated blood to the brain, buying crucial time until the ambulance arrives.”
The goal of the project is to equip people with the skills and confidence to act quickly in emergencies—before professional help arrives. Sessions like this are being offered in village halls, churches, pubs, and schools throughout the Oswestry area.
Following the session, participants will leave knowing how to recognise a cardiac arrest, deliver high-quality chest compressions, and operate the defibrillators now available in public spaces, including on building walls and inside repurposed telephone kiosks.
Training Session Details
📍 Location: Memorial Hall, Smithfield Street, Oswestry SY11 2EG
📅 Date: Saturday, 18th October
⏰ Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm
👥 Spaces available: 15 participants maximum
How to Register
Interested participants can book a place via the Facebook page: @mikelade
Follow the link to the ‘Save a Life’ registration form.
Alternatively, contact Mike Lade directly at mikelade1975@gmail.com.
There is no charge for the session, though a donation bucket will be available for those who wish to contribute. Donations help fund the purchase and maintenance of training equipment, including CPR manikins, defibrillators, and other consumables.
This community-led initiative aims to put more lifesavers into Oswestry’s neighbourhoods—giving ordinary people the tools they need to make an extraordinary difference.
