23/12/2025

Pool operators across the UK delivered hundreds of free life-saving CPR and defibrillator training to the public as part of this year’s Restart a Heart initiative. The campaign enabled them to give back to their communities while showcasing their expertise and increasing their visibility, thereby extending the impact beyond the day itself.

The annual Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) initiative, supported by RLSS UK, aims to improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. With around 100,000 cardiac arrests taking place every year in the UK and survival rates still sitting at only one in ten, the campaign equips people with essential skills to act when every second counts.

Nick Grazier, Senior Head of Commercial, RLSS UK, says: “CPR is a skill everyone should have, especially as 80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home. Leisure centres are ideally placed to teach these techniques. We asked the sector to support Restart a Heart, and the response was outstanding. Operators delivered learning experiences and engaged with families, schools, and businesses to give people the skills and confidence to save lives. The campaign has been a phenomenal success.”

Real-life rescue reinforces the need for CPR

For WV Active Bilston, Restart a Heart Day was incredibly poignant. Just weeks before the event, a local man suffered a cardiac arrest during his swim. The lifeguard team responded immediately, performing CPR and delivering four shocks from a defibrillator to save his life.

“I was lucky I was at the leisure centre when I had the cardiac arrest with a great, trained team around me. I'm so thankful to the team for saving my life. I'm lucky to be here today,” he said.

RLSS UK Trainer Assessor (TA) Jamie Hallam, who was involved in the incident, delivered hands-on CPR sessions with manikins in the centre’s reception for both children and adults during Restart a Heart Day. The event has already sparked a broader impact, with the local council requesting additional CPR sessions for staff.

“I don’t think people realise how much responsibility our lifeguards have. Seeing one of our own demonstrating CPR has reinforced to the community that WV Active is a safe place to exercise,” says Lisa Johnson, Sales and Service Manager, WV Active Bilston – Bert Williams.

Engaging communities in life-saving skills

Operators really embraced the campaign. Using free RLSS UK resources, they hosted workshops, delivered demonstrations, and created CPR challenges to engage children, adults, families, schools, businesses, and local groups.

The Better Link Centre in Swindon offered a range of activities, including CPR demonstrations, taster sessions, video presentations, and information stands. CPR skills were also taught in Rookie Lifeguard lessons, and heart-themed learning was offered to swim school families. In total, 60 people attended structured CPR sessions, while an impressive 1,200 individuals participated in broader activities.

“We used RLSS UK’s CPR videos, step-by-step guides, and Save a Life CPR resources for Restart a Heart Day. The activities gave us the chance to educate the community and build confidence in life-saving skills, while also engaging our Swim School members and their parents or guardians,” explains Cheryl Pottinger, Area Swim School Lead, Inclusion Swimming Specialist and Safeguarding Officer for GLL’s Swindon Partnership.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees requesting additional sessions. The centre has now committed to offering monthly CPR-related community activities from 2026.

Restart a Heart Day gave pool operators the opportunity to give back to their communities and share the value of their work.

Newbury Better Health & Fitness Centre hosted three free CPR and defibrillator workshops, attracting over 50 members of the public, including many non-members and local businesses. The centre secured strong local media coverage in print, on TV, online, and across social media. The centre collaborated with Newbury Business District to promote the event, and Newbury Town Football Club assisted in sharing the message.

Thanks to the success of the activities, the centre has now been invited to deliver CPR and defibrillation education in two local primary schools, extending its impact beyond Restart a Heart Day itself.

Expanding the reach of CPR training

GLL’s Faringdon Leisure Centre and Windrush Leisure Centre in Oxfordshire delivered a wide range of activities, including AED demonstrations and free public CPR sessions, delivered by an RLSS UK-qualified Trainer Assessor. These sessions also featured a ‘100 minutes of chest compressions’ CPR challenge.

The centres incorporated CPR and chest compressions into swimming lessons and engaged with local secondary schools. The feedback was hugely positive. People appreciated being able to practise on manikins, learn about AEDs for the first time and get hands-on experience that they hadn’t had before. They also asked if the centres could run more CPR sessions in the future.

“We understand the importance of CPR and are committed to building stronger, safer communities. Having run several public CPR sessions at our leisure centres before, we know how valuable they are for helping people learn essential life-saving skills. Restart a Heart Day gave us the chance to run even more sessions and reach a wider audience,” said Rebecca Silver, Trainer Assessor at GLL.

Faringdon Leisure Centre is currently collaborating with a local secondary school on a project to promote the importance of CPR and is looking to expand this initiative to other groups.

Pool operators across the UK played a key role in the Restart a Heart campaign. By providing practical learning experiences to their communities, they have demonstrated their expertise, engaged with new audiences, and, above all, given people the skills and confidence to act in an emergency.

Learn CPR online at www.rlss.org.uk/learn-cpr, where you’ll find easy-to-follow steps for providing lifesaving CPR to adults, children, and babies, along with guidance on using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Prefer hands-on learning?

Sign up for a face-to-face CPR workshop at www.rlss.org.uk/save-a-life-series or www.rlss.org.uk/rlss-uk-first-aid-qualifications to practise essential skills with expert trainers.

---

Photo Caption: GLL's Newbury Better Health & Fitness Centre taking part in Restart a Heart Day