420 pupils gain lifesaving CPR skills during Restart a Heart Day

Hundreds of pupils at Summercroft Primary School in Bishop’s Stortford learned life-saving skills as part of Restart a Heart Day 2026, thanks to two local paramedics who volunteered their time to educate the next generation of lifesavers.

On Friday 16 October, 420 pupils took part in the annual initiative, gaining practical experience and learning how they could make a difference in a cardiac arrest emergency.

Hundreds of pupils at Summercroft Primary School in Bishop’s Stortford learned life-saving skills as part of Restart a Heart Day 2026, thanks to two local paramedics who volunteered their time to educate the next generation of lifesavers.

On Friday 16 October, 420 pupils took part in the annual initiative, gaining practical experience and learning how they could make a difference in a cardiac arrest emergency.

The event was delivered by East of England Ambulance Service paramedics Sadie Smart and Aaron Taylor, who share a passion for raising awareness of cardiac arrest and equipping the local community with the knowledge, skills and confidence to respond when every second counts.

Throughout the day, pupils took part in interactive, age-appropriate sessions covering how to recognise a cardiac arrest, call 999, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and understand the importance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Building a Generation of Lifesavers

Approximately 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK each year, with evidence demonstrating that early CPR and prompt defibrillation makes the difference between life and death.

Alarming recent research highlights that women are significantly less likely than men to receive bystander CPR following a cardiac arrest. Sadie explained how, “this reinforces the importance of early education in challenging misconceptions and removing barriers to intervention. We are proud to contribute towards developing a generation of confident, informed and inclusive future lifesavers.”

Sadie and Aaron bring 16 years of frontline ambulance experience each, the majority locally with the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST). Drawing on their clinical and educational experience, they volunteered their time and provided specialist training equipment through their first aid and life support training company, Taylor-Smart Medical.

“As paramedics, we understand the critical importance of rapid intervention following a cardiac arrest," Sadie said. "Early recognition, high-quality CPR and prompt defibrillation are fundamental components of the chain of survival, significantly improving the likelihood of survival.

“We were incredibly impressed by the pupils’ enthusiasm, determination and willingness to learn. Knowing that even one child could use these skills to save a life in the future makes this education invaluable.”

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Summercroft Primary School welcomed the opportunity to provide pupils with practical lifesaving skills and an understanding of how they could make a meaningful difference within their community. The sessions helped to build pupils’ confidence and knowledge while fostering a sense of responsibility and compassion for others, providing valuable lessons that extend far beyond the classroom and could one day enable them to save a life.

Alongside the educational activities, pupils and families were invited to make voluntary donations to the British Heart Foundation and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, supporting the charities’ vital lifesaving work.

Restart a Heart Day is an annual initiative coordinated by Resuscitation Council UK, raising awareness of cardiac arrest and encouraging people of all ages to learn CPR.

Anyone can learn CPR in 15mins using this RevivR free easy-to-use online tool at: bhf.org.uk/revivr