Corby Community First Responders and pupils to show love with Restart a Heart day

Pupils and staff at two Corby schools will spending the most heart-filled day of the year, raising money for a defibrillator to be installed on the Danesholme estate, with a Restart a Heart day.

Children from Danesholme Junior and Infants will use Valentine's Day to highlight their fundraising for the life-saving equipment alongside the Community First Responders, in support of the nearby Viking Club.

Stacey Price, who co-ordinates the North Northants Community First Responder volunteers who attend 999 medical emergencies, has organised the Restart a Heart Day with the academies' headteachers.

She said: "It came to my attention, when I attended a cardiac arrest last year, that there is not a 24-hour accessible defibrillator in the Danesholme area.

"I got together with several different people in the community including local fundraiser Cliff Morton who allowed me to run a Halloween party at The Viking Club. We raised £400 towards a defibrillator.

"The Viking Club themselves also ran an auction of a signed photo to raise money. For the final amount I met with the headteachers to see if they would work with me to raise some funds."

On Valentine's Day, the students will pay £1 to wear red mufti and bring in silver coins to cover a huge heart which got towards the charity pot.

A group of seven community responders will spend the day teaching first aid skills.

During the day pupils will get the chance to see inside a visiting East Midlands Ambulance Service vehicle, practise bandaging, and Year 5 and 6 students will be taught basic CPR.

First Responder Stacey added: "This is not just about raising funds, this is about showing the pupils how we come together as a community and to allow them to contribute towards a life-saving piece of equipment that consequently may save someone in their families' lives one day."

Once the £1,500 has been raised, the precious life-saving equipment will be installed outside the Viking Club and will be accessible day and night.