Across Kent, Surrey and Sussex an average of 24 people a day, or one person every hour, experiences a cardiac arrest. Every second counts for survival when someone is in cardiac arrest and by starting bystander CPR and using a defibrillator ahead of the emergency services arriving you can more than double a loved one’s chance of survival. 

KSS believes everyone has the potential to save a life. People just need to know how. That’s why KSS is launching its ‘In Your Hands’ campaign and unveiling exciting plans to train as many people as possible in these lifesaving skills.   

Building on the success of last year’s campaign, when the world-leading lifesaving charity taught 17,000 children and adults in one day, KSS is now determined to train tens of thousands more as it aims to create an army of lifesavers right across the South East. 

This year there will be even more activities with an expanded series of free online live-stream and pre-recorded sessions, as well as new in-person events, tailored to every age group and including: 

• Monday 14 October: Gatwick Airport, departure lounge 

• Tuesday 15 October: Coffee, Cake and CPR events at three Shepherd Neame pubs or hold your own event anywhere at any time with our pre-recorded activity pack. 

• Wednesday 16 October: Online live-stream sessions for schools, youth groups and businesses from 9.30pm through to 7.30pm 

• Friday 18 October: Orchards Shopping Centre, Haywards Heath, Sussex 

• Saturday 19 October: Cobham Services, M25, Surrey 

• Sunday 20 October: Blue Water Shopping Centre, Kent 

The charity’s partnership with Shepherd Neame will see one pub in each county holding a Coffee Cake and CPR event where the public can go to learn from KSS crew members. 

The charity is excited to be working together with Girlguiding London and South-East and hopes thousands of Brownies, Guides and Rangers across the area will take part in learning these lifesaving skills with KSS on Restart a Heart Day. 

The online live stream sessions are part of a new KSS Girlguiding challenge badge launching in September and will help raise awareness and engagement of our vital work as well as inspire Girlguides in careers across medical, emergency services and the charity industry. 

Duncan Bootland, Executive Medical Director at KSS said: “Improving survival from cardiac arrest is a key aim for us at KSS, but it’s impossible for us to do it on our own.  We need the help of our communities. 

“Time is key in everything we do, and in cardiac arrest the most important minutes for the patients are before we arrive.  We know that family and friends, or even neighbours, are critically important in providing CPR in those first crucial moments. Restarting your loved one’s heart or keeping their blood flowing with CPR during the few minutes it takes to bring our specialist team to the scene could save their life can make all the difference.  

“Without that early intervention our team’s chances of resuscitating your loved one, even with some of the cutting-edge technology we bring to patients, has very little chance of success.  

“Survival from cardiac arrest is a team effort and we’re asking everyone to learn the skill of CPR and defibrillation to join our army of lifesavers.” 

Marc Chaplin from Billingshurst said: “One day in December, completely out of the blue, I suffered a cardiac arrest in my local supermarket. I’m eternally grateful to the bystanders who helped me in those first few critical moments. 

“One was a nurse who gave me immediate CPR, helped by a local lad who gave me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Community First Responders soon arrived and got my heart going with the in-store defibrillator. Tomorrow, the person needing help could be you, one your friends, or loved ones.” 

Ben Paul, KSS Paramedic and Education Manager, said: “Training thousands of people within our community in how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator will undoubtedly save lives.  

We know that 80% of cardiac arrests happen in people’s own homes and therefore these are skills people are likely to use on family and friends rather than strangers in the street.   

“It’s almost impossible to get wrong or do harm and therefore we are urging everyone to learn these lifesaving skills. Last year, we taught 17,000 people in one day; from primary school children as young as 4 to adults well into their 80’s.  

“When it comes to cardiac arrest, even the air ambulance is not quick enough to save a life without members of our communities stepping forward and doing CPR until our specialist teams arrive and can take over.  

“Every single person who signs up and joins our sessions this October will be helping to build our army of lifesavers across the South East. Together we can save even more lives in our communities.” 

The charity’s work on Restart a Heart Day last year has received national recognition. At the forthcoming national Third Sector Awards, KSS is shortlisted in the Breakthrough of the Year category. 

For more information about learning how to do CPR and use a defibrillator with KSS this October for Restart a Heart, visit: aakss.org.uk/restart