MEMBERS of a Monmouth school boat club learned life-saving lessons on Saturday 7th January as part of an initiative organised by the British Heart Foundation.

Heartstart aims to teach members of the public what to do in a life-threatening emergency and, for the second year running, members of Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club learnt exactly that. 

Heartstart trainer Cara Hopgood told club members: “If a person is unconscious and not breathing, then they start to lose normal function in their brain after only three minutes. Six minutes without oxygen, and the casualty can suffer some serious brain damage. Knowing how to perform CPR can, quite literally, save a person’s life.” 

Club member Cassie De St Croix said: “The two hour session was completely free of charge and, for a few hours out of a day to learn how to save a life, I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone, whatever your age or ability. I learnt a lot from the course, as have 43 other members of the club, and although I hope I never have to apply these skills again, I know that I will be fully prepared if I need to. After all, simple skills save lives, so do take the opportunity to get trained if you can!”

For more information search online for BHF Heartstart, or go to www.bhf.org.uk