1,500 Hampshire school kids to become life-saving ‘Mini Medics’

The Fawley Complex, which employs over 2,500 staff and contractors in the region, has collaborated with New Forest First Aid Training to enable and facilitate the acclaimed Mini Medics course. 

These engaging and educational classroom sessions, designed to deliver vital skills through captivating activities, will be available to students in Years 4,5 and 6, and will be spread across nine schools in Beaulieu, Blackfield, Dibden Purlieu, Hythe, Holbury, Marchwood and Hamble-le-Rice. 

ExxonMobil Fawley and New Forest First Aid Training, in collaboration with Hampshire County Council, began their series of forty-one courses in April, with the program continuing through the end of July. 

As pupils continue to embark on their journey to become ‘Mini Medics’, they will be introduced to first aid, learn the correct recovery positions, and understand how to perform CPR accurately. 

There will also be guidance on what procedures to take when faced with someone who is choking or having an asthma attack, as well as how to treat wounds or bleeding. 

Recent findings from the British Heart Foundation highlight the critical need for such training. They reveal that the survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK is notably low, around 10%. 

This figure is significantly lower compared to other European countries, where the survival rate can be as high as 40%. 

“One of the reasons for this is arguably a lack of first aid training from an early age”, said New Forest First Aid Provider, Sarah Prestridge. 

“For a long time we have been eager to incorporate medical training within schools. However, with first aid not included in the National Curriculum, many schools find it challenging to secure the necessary funding due to budget constraints.”

Sarah continued, “Thanks to ExxonMobil Fawley, we are already making significant strides in delivering lifesaving training to thousands of students across Hampshire, who will no doubt share their newfound knowledge with their families too. 

“We are immensely grateful for their support and hope this initiative will continue to grow, allowing us to equip even more young people with the skills they need to save lives and assist in emergencies.”

One of the schools that has embraced this program is Hythe Primary School. Business Manager, Kim Smith said, “This important initiative will give our students potential lifesaving skills, and we are sure they will have a lot of fun along the way”. 

“We are grateful for ExxonMobil Fawley’s generous contribution to make this happen.”