A Strong Start to February: Two Community Training Sessions

Over the past week, Defibs4Bristol delivered two community CPR and defibrillator training sessions, reinforcing the importance of confidence, awareness, and regular checks to keep defibrillators ready for use.

Thursday 5 February at Chew Valley Probus Club

On Thursday 5 February, Simon was very pleased to deliver a CPR and defibrillator training session for members of the Chew Valley Probus Club.

The group were smart, attentive, and fully engaged throughout the session, which focussed on:

• Recognising cardiac arrest

• How and when to use a defibrillator

• Building confidence to step in and help

The club kindly made a generous £105 donation to our Defib consumables fund, helping keep defibrillators across Bristol maintained and ready for use.

Coincidentally, on the same day, two of our defibrillators were activated twice elsewhere in the city - a reminder of just how frequently these devices are needed.

Saturday 7 February at The Somerville Club

On Saturday 7 February, Simon ran a second training session at The Somerville Club in Bishopston.

This was a particularly interactive session, with lots of questions and discussion, and it ran for around three hours. In addition to CPR and defibrillator use, the group also asked for an explanation of their bleed kit, which they already have on site.

As part of the session, we took the opportunity to look at the club’s defibrillator together.

During this check, it became clear that the unit wasn’t fully operational at that time. This wasn’t immediately obvious from the outside and is exactly the kind of thing that can happen when a defibrillator hasn’t been checked recently or when responsibility isn’t clearly defined.

Improving Readiness

Following the session, time was spent:

• Explaining what was needed to keep the defibrillator operational

• Highlighting the importance of routine checks

• Adding clear labelling

• Identifying named contacts so staff know who to call if the defibrillator is used

• Ensuring everyone knew where the rescue pack is kept and how the process works

  
  

These small but important steps help make sure the defibrillator can be relied upon if it’s ever needed.

The Somerville Club were extremely supportive and generously donated £200 to Defibs4Bristol, which will go directly toward maintaining and supporting community defibrillators across Bristol.

Why These Sessions Matter

Training sessions like these do more than teach CPR.

They:

• Build confidence to act in an emergency

• Encourage venues to take ownership of the defibrillators they host

• Prompt useful checks that can prevent issues going unnoticed

Defibrillators are simple devices, but they rely on regular attention. Community training helps ensure they remain visible, understood, and ready for use.

Thank You

Thank you to both Chew Valley Probus Club and The Somerville Club for welcoming us, engaging so positively, and supporting Defibs4Bristol’s work.

These sessions are often the simplest way to make sure a defibrillator will be ready if it’s ever needed.

If your club, workplace, or organisation would like CPR and defibrillator training - or would like help checking a defibrillator you already have - please get in touch.