HEARTSTART Farnham Lions held its landmark 100th class at the St John Ambulance Hall last Wednesday, five years after the scheme started.

The team taught an enthusiastic group of participants, which included Lions’ president Andrew Lodge and town mayor Mike Hodge some of the simple skills which can save a life.

The scheme came into being after founder member Keith Aston suffered a cardiac arrest eight years ago and was kept alive in the street by passing motorist Jo Michaelides.

The two met after his recovery and vowed to teach CPR to as many people in their community as possible.

With the help of the South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Farnham Lions and the British Heart Foundation, Heartstart Farnham Lions was born.

Members of the Lions Club trained as instructors and the scheme opened its doors to the public on July 18, 2012.

Since then, three instructors have given CPR, one has helped someone who was choking and more recently the team were delighted to learn that one of their trainees, Gulfer Budden, was able to save her son’s life this summer using the skills she had learnt on the course.

“It’s incredible to see how far we have come since our first class in the ATC building all those years ago,” said founder member and trainer Jo Michaelides.

“A lot has come from a split-second decision to stop, and from someone using his second chance at life to pay it forward and educate others.”

As well as providing the free, two-and-a-half hour classes to members of the public, Heartstart has also been instrumental in raising the awareness of the key role defibrillators – or ‘heart restarters’ - can play in resuscitation.

Early CPR followed by early defibrillation dramatically increase the casualty’s chance of survival in the case of cardiac arrest.

The scheme members have helped acquire and install public access defibrillator heart restarters, or PADs, in Farnham and surrounding areas. PADs are unlocked and available to anyone who needs them, 24/7.

A steering group with representatives from the council, SECAmb, the local Community First Responder group and Heartstart has been set up to look at the placement and maintenance of PADs in the area and to educate the public about how easy they are to use.

“I am very proud of the volunteers who give up their spare time to teach fellow citizens potentially lifesaving skills,” said scheme clinical director and Resuscitation Council member Professor Tom Quinn.

“As a town Farnham has made great progress in raising funds for defibrillator heart restarter equipment and our key task now is to spread the word that CPR and early use of a heart restarter improve chances of survival in cardiac arrest.

“I’d encourage people to learn CPR, know where the defibrillator heart restarters are situated - and to not hesitate to use when required.”

A fund has been set up for the provision and maintenance of defibrillator heart re-starters.

To contribute or find out more, call Keith Aston on 01252 723319. To book a place on the next Heartstart course to learn vital lifesaving skills, call Keith or visit www.heartstartfarnhamlions.co.uk.