Bedfordians can learn vital life-saving skills this Friday (16 October 2026) as two free drop-in CPR and defibrillator training events take place across the borough for Restart a Heart Day.
Ampthill cardiac arrest survivor Nick Markham will join emergency crews at the Harpur Shopping Centre to show shoppers how bystander intervention saved his life.
Nick collapsed at Ampthill post office and survived because a retired paramedic stepped in with immediate CPR before the Magpas Air Ambulance team arrived.
Nick said: “Bystander CPR made a crucial difference for me that day.”
Around 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside hospital across the UK each year, with fewer than one in 10 surviving.
Immediate bystander CPR can double a person’s chances of survival, yet many people hesitate to step in during an emergency.
Around 80% of cardiac arrests happen at home, meaning the person who can make the biggest difference is often a family member, friend or neighbour.
The session forms part of Restart a Heart Month, a national initiative aimed at increasing the number of people who feel confident stepping forward to help during a cardiac arrest.
Overcoming fear
CPR community training and engagement lead at Magpas Air Ambulance Nicola Cooper explained: “When someone collapses in cardiac arrest, the people around them are their best chance of survival.
“Every minute without CPR reduces the chance of survival, so what happens before the ambulance or air ambulance arrives really matters.
“We know many people are frightened of getting it wrong, but the only wrong thing to do is nothing. You can’t make things worse for someone whose heart has stopped.
And a defibrillator talks you through every step, so you don’t need any medical knowledge to use one.”
The town centre session runs from 9am to 4pm at the Harpur Shopping Centre, organised jointly by Magpas Air Ambulance and the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
Shoppers can practise chest compressions on mannequins, learn how an automated external defibrillator works and speak directly with trainers alongside Nick.
Fitness centre session
A second free drop-in workshop will run south of the river at John Bunyan Sports and Fitness Centre from 12pm to 2pm.
Organised by the Better Leisure team as part of the Royal Life Saving Society UK campaign, the session will take place on the balcony or in Party Room 2.
Instructors will teach resuscitation techniques for adults, children and babies, alongside practical guidance on locating and using defibrillators.
GLL assistant manager at John Bunyan Sports and Fitness Centre Alex Cunningham highlighted, “We’ll be showing people how to perform CPR and giving them the chance to practise their skills on a training dummy.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn what to do in an emergency and feel more confident about stepping in to help.
“Knowing how to perform CPR could help save someone’s life, and we think it’s an important skill for everyone to have. We’d encourage anyone who can to come along this Friday and give it a go.”
Both events require no advance booking, so local people can simply drop in throughout the day and build confidence to save a life.
