Training

For details on our present programme of courses and to download a booking form please visit the Courses page from the navigation above.

A key objective of our organisation is to substantially increase the number of local people with first aid skills. The European Reference Centre for First Aid Education has highlighted the fact that the United Kingdom has much lower numbers of people with first aid skills than other parts of Europe. In the UK it is estimated that no more than 10% of the population have first aid skills whereas in Germany the figure is 80% and in Norway 95%.

Accidents and life threatening medical emergencies often happen in places where we feel the safest - our own homes. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents states that 5,000 people die as a result of accidents in the home and 2.7 million attend hospital every year. It is quite clear that people do need to have up to date first aid skills so they can react in those first minutes after an incident. Another factor to consider is that the NHS ambulance service has an ever increasing workload and with an ageing population this is likely to increase further putting strain on the service which can affect response times. This may mean the first aider having to care for the patient longer before the arrival of professional help.

In the case of sudden cardiac arrest, when breathing and the heart have stopped, staying calm, contacting the ambulance service and performing resuscitation are vital in giving the collapsed person the chance of life.

At Newark Community First Aid we are passionate about training people so they can develop the vital first aid skills they need to help a family member, friend or work colleague. We offer two types of training.

The first is our FREE Community Training based on our 2.5 hours and 4 hours courses; we can also produce bespoke courses to meet people`s needs. Prior to the Pandemic we were training on average 2,500 people per year. Those attending included pupils in school, youth organisations, community groups, charities, and the public through open courses in local towns and villages. We restarted our Free Community courses in 2022, a slow start with many people still wary of meeting in groups as a result of the pandemic. 2023 though saw demand returning to pre covid levels and 2024 saw our busiest year ever with over 2,000 adults and children attending this vital lifesaving training.

The second is workplace first aid training designed to meet the requirements of the Health & Safety First Aid Regulations 1981. This training includes the 1 day (6 hour) Emergency First Aid at Work course, the Initial 3 day (18 hour) First Aid at Work Course and the 2 Day (12 hour) First Aid at Work Requalification Course, we can also provide workplace defibrillation training on our 4 hour course. We also provide training for Early Years Settings and Schools. This training includes the 2 day Paediatric First Aid Course, 1 Day Emergency Paediatric Course and 3 hour Anaphylaxis Course. Specialised courses such as our 6 hour Sports First Aid and 4 hour Healthcare Basic Life Support course are also available.

We also provide Mental Health First Aider training. Mental ill health is now the leading cause of workplace illness absence with nearly 1 million days lost per year according to the HSE. The courses we deliver have been developed by the First Aid Industry Body with input from a range of Mental Health professionals. Our 1 day and 2 day courses can be tailored to include systems you may already have in place to support your staff. Contact us and speak with Kevin our Mental Health lead.

Our price structure for Workplace, Early Years and Specialised courses is based on 'value for money' - we aim to provide quality training, producing competent first aiders at a reasonable price. This we hope will encourage employers to train more of their staff, which in turn will result in more trained first aiders in the community at large. All profit from these courses will be re-invested into the charity so as to develop our services further.

As well as providing good value for money our courses are local reducing the cost and time of travel, reducing environmental damage. Our Open Courses are held in South Muskham and we can run on-site courses if rooms are adequate.