Local MP and former Olympic sprinter support life-saving skills training at Edmonton school, reports James Cracknell

*Children from Eldon Primary School receive first aid training as part of the Mini Medics pilot project*

Children at an Edmonton primary school have been taught life-saving skills by trained medics as part of a new pilot scheme.

The ‘Mini Medics’ project launched at Eldon Primary School on Friday, with both Edmonton MP Kate Osamor and former Olympic sprinter Dwain Chambers visiting to support the four-week initiative.

Schoolchildren aged eight and over received basic first aid training, covering techniques such as the recovery position and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is hoped that this will help young people gain confidence in dealing with medical emergencies and inspire them to learn more about emergency first aid as they get older.

The recent medical emergency to footballer Christian Eriksen, witnessed by millions of viewers of the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland last month, highlighted the importance of immediate first aid in life-and-death situations.

Kate Osamor told the Dispatch: “This is showing young children that it’s not just doctors who can save lives. We saw what happened to Christian Eriksen, who was a healthy young man, where CPR saved his life.

“In most dangerous situations an adult will be there to help but what’s good about this is that it shows children how they can help as well and how they can become young leaders.

“I hope this project will be a catalyst to getting other schools involved, if they can get external funding for it.”

Mini Medics is a being run as a joint initiative between a local branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), education charity Edmonton Community Partnership, and Barnet-based not-for-profit Effective Transition, whose ambassador is Dwain Chambers.

Trevor Blackman, from Edmonton Community Partnership, said: “We want to link different organisations with our schools and the wider community. These kids, if something happens in their own home, they will now have the basic knowledge to help in that situation.”

CWU North/North West London branch secretary John Mensah said: “We are happy to support the funding of a pilot programme providing basic first aid training for children aged eight and over.

“This is a great scheme that will give children an opportunity to learn a life skill, and who knows, maybe [become] the next generation of first aiders, nurses and doctors. We are always looking for more ways that our union can engage with and support local communities.”

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