Over 20,000 People Trained to Save Lives Thanks to EEAST Heart
Date: 14 October 2026More than 20,000 people across the east of England have now been trained in CPR and defibrillator use through EEAST Heart, helping to create more lifesavers in local communities and giving people the confidence to act when every second counts.
The milestone means that more than 20,000 people are now better prepared to act in the critical moments before ambulance crews arrive, potentially helping to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
EEAST Heart is a free community initiative, run by volunteers and staff from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and made possible with the support from the East of England Ambulance Service Charity and its generous supporters.
Since launching in 2023, EEAST Heart has been working to equip as many people as possible with the skills and confidence to perform CPR and use a defibrillator in a life-threatening emergency.
EEAST Heart Lead and Community Response Manager, Jon Needle said: “Being faced with a cardiac arrest can be terrifying, especially when you don’t know what to do. EEAST Heart is about giving people that confidence, so if they ever find themselves in that situation, they feel able to step in and help.
“With fewer than one in ten people surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, learning CPR and how to use a defibrillator really could help save someone’s life.”
The training remains completely free thanks to two vital factors: the dedication of 211 volunteers who give their time to teach these lifesaving skills, and the generous support of donors to the East of England Ambulance Service Charity.
Donations help fund training equipment and resources, allowing EEAST Heart to reach more people and deliver even more community sessions across the region.
Chris McGregor, Deputy Director (Volunteers, Co-Response & NEPTS), said: “A donation doesn’t just help fund a training session. It helps put lifesaving skills into our communities. Every person trained has the potential to be there when someone needs them most and potentially save a life.
“That’s the difference our supporters to the East of England Ambulance Service Charity are helping to make.”
“There are still so many people out there who wouldn’t have the confidence to start CPR, we want to change this and with your support we can.”
EEAST Heart offers free CPR and defibrillator awareness sessions for schools, businesses, community groups and residents across the East of England.
Interested in arranging a free training session, submit a booking request form.
To support the programme and help fund more free training sessions, visit the EEAST Heart JustGiving page.
