Free lifesaving training coming to Malmesbury this October

People in Malmesbury will have the chance to learn lifesaving skills for free this October, with two community training sessions taking place at Malmesbury Town Hall.

The one-hour interactive sessions will be delivered by Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity and will give local people practical experience of CPR and how to use a defibrillator in an emergency. Both sessions will take place on Monday 19 October, with an afternoon session from 2-3pm and an evening session from 5.15-6.15pm.

The training is completely free, open to everyone and there is no need to book in advance. The sessions have been generously funded by Malmesbury League of Friends, as part of its commitment to helping people across the town gain the confidence and skills to respond in a medical emergency.

The initiative builds on the League of Friends' support for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity's Aware+ education programme, which is bringing free lifesaving education to children in schools across Malmesbury and surrounding villages.

Andrew Robinson, emergency awareness training manager at Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity, said: “When a cardiac emergency strikes, early intervention is critical. Building confidence in basic life support and knowing how to use public defibrillators can drastically improve survival outcomes before medical crews arrive on scene.”

Malmesbury League of Friends has previously funded public access defibrillators across Malmesbury and surrounding communities, helping make lifesaving equipment more readily available to local people.

Chas Gould, of Malmesbury League of Friends (pictured with crew), said: “Having funded public defibrillators across Malmesbury, we are delighted to support these training sessions to ensure local residents feel confident and empowered to use them if needed.”

Malmesbury Town Council is also supporting the initiative by providing a room at the Town Hall free of charge.

Malmesbury Mayor, Cllr Robert Hastings, said: “Malmesbury Town Council is delighted to support this crucial initiative by providing the Town Hall free of charge.

“Equipping local people with the confidence and skills to handle a cardiac emergency benefits the whole community, and we are extremely grateful to the Malmesbury League of Friends and Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity for making it possible.”

The afternoon session, from 2-3pm, has been timed to give parents and carers the opportunity to attend before the afternoon school run. The second session, from 5.15-6.15pm, offers an alternative for those working during the day.

Both sessions are open to everyone, with no advance booking required. People can simply come along to Malmesbury Town Hall on the day.

Further community training sessions may also be organised in the future.

Session details

Date: Monday 19 October

Afternoon session: 2-3pm

Evening session: 5.15-6.15pm

Location: Malmesbury Town Hall

Cost: Free

Booking: No advance booking required