It was great to welcome the London Ambulance Service to Loraine Estate for a hands-on CPR and defibrillator training session, giving residents the chance to learn skills that could one day help save a life.

Just over 20 residents joined us, including whole families and some of our elderly residents. Everyone was encouraged to get involved, practise CPR on the training mannequins and learn how to use a defibrillator in an emergency.

The training was relaxed, practical and easy to understand. Residents were able to ask questions, have a go for themselves and learn what to do if someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Hopefully none of us will ever need to use these skills, but knowing what to do in those first few minutes can make a real difference.

A big thank you to the London Ambulance Service, and especially Hana and Sean, for coming along and sharing their knowledge with us. They were incredibly patient, taking the time to demonstrate each step and helping everyone feel comfortable and confident while practising.

It was also really nice to meet a few new residents who joined us on the day. That's one of the things we enjoy about holding activities like this at Loraine — as well as learning something useful, they give neighbours a chance to meet, chat and get to know each other.

Thank you to everyone who came along, brought their families and got involved. ❤️

We hope everyone left knowing a little more than when they arrived — and, most importantly, feeling more confident about stepping in and helping someone in an emergency.

Written by Mustafa Barakzai
Resident Volunteer & Loraine Community Committee Member