St John Ambulance is recruiting volunteers and offering people the skills to save lives.

People in Haringey, Edmonton and Enfield will have the opportunity to become Community First Responders (CFRs) and learn skills that could make them life savers next month.

CFRs have been running since 2009 as a partnership between the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and St John Ambulance to provide localised assistance to the ambulance service.

The LAS reaches the majority of patients within eight minutes of a 999 call but if an ‘on call’ volunteer nearby has the basic skills and equipment they are despatched at the same time in their own vehicle and can often make a big difference providing treatment before an ambulance arrives.

David Forward, unit manager for Enfield, Edmonton and Haringey areas, said: “I started responding after doing a First Aid at Work qualification with St John Ambulance as it gave me an opportunity to use the skills that I had been taught.

"I can assure you of the reward and pleasure that you feel when you see someone out and about in the street, when you know that you helped them or even saved their life.”

No prior knowledge or experience is required as every first responder goes through extensive practical first aid and basic life support.

This includes training on how to use oxygen and an automated defibrillator as well as how to deal with serious conditions such as cardiac arrest, chest pain, breathing problems, diabetic emergencies and the unconscious patients.

The event will take place at St John Ambulance HQ, Shirley Road, Enfield from 7pm onwards on Tuesday February 10.

For more information contact cfr@london.sja.org.uk