Wales Air Ambulance joins UK-wide event to help create a nation of lifesavers

Wales Air Ambulance is teaming up with Restart a Heart Live! this week for the UK’s
largest CPR training event.
The free livestream brings CPR training and AED familiarisation directly into schools and
communities.
Although it does not replace hands-on training, the livestream can introduce lifesaving skills,
start conversations at home and help more people see themselves as potential lifesavers.
Restart a Heart Live will take place on Thursday 1 October 2026, with sessions running from
9am to 7pm.
Last year, Restart a Heart Live reached more than 130,000 viewers, marking significant
progress towards its goal of training one million people by 2027.
Dr Sue Barnes, Chief Executive at Wales Air Ambulance, said: “Restart a Heart Live! is a
powerful initiative that is helping young people learn lifesaving skills.
“We are proud to support this event, which builds on the work already being done in our
communities to give people the confidence to administer CPR when needed.
“As an emergency care provider, we are part of the chain of survival, but it all starts with
bystanders being able to restart a heart. Together we can make a lifesaving difference.”
During the event, viewers will see a video taking them behind the scenes at the UK’s largest
air ambulance operator.
Dr Barnes added: “It’s wonderful to collaborate with our fellow blue-light colleagues across
the UK in such a meaningful way.
“We hope our involvement will give communities a better understanding of who we are and
what we do.”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient
and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or
injury.

The service is delivered through a unique partnership between the third and public sectors.
The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £13 million needed
each year to keep its helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled
NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood
transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel
the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
Restart a Heart Live is funded by several partners, including Save a Life Cymru, part of the
Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust. Save a Life Cymru was established to
improve survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across Wales and is supported by
health and emergency service organisations, including Wales Air Ambulance.
Julie Starling Clinical Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Programme manager for Save a Life
Cymru, said: “Restart a Heart Live is a programme that is run every year in collaboration
with organisations across the UK.
“Anyone can register to join in on the day! We want as many people as possible to take part.
Our goal is to help create a nation of lifesavers by encouraging people to learn CPR.”
Wales is thought to have the worst out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate, within the UK.
Research shows that early CPR and the use of a defibrillator can at least double a person’s
chance of survival.
Julie continued: “Over 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, so saving a life often depends
on family, friends and the people nearby. A life could depend on you.
“We want to empower people in local communities to feel confident performing CPR. All
you need is a pair of hands and the ability to follow instructions.
“Help is closer than you think. By calling 999 and listening carefully to the call handler, you
can make a difference.”