Free CPR and defibrillator training is coming to Boscombe on Friday 16 October 2026 as part of South Western Ambulance Service’s Restart a Heart campaign. The public event at the Sovereign Shopping Centre will run from 9am-4.30pm, giving Bournemouth residents the chance to learn lifesaving CPR skills, understand how to use a defibrillator and build confidence in responding to a cardiac emergency.
5th October 2026
Knowing what to do when somebody suffers a cardiac arrest could make the difference between life and death - and Bournemouth residents will soon have the opportunity to learn those skills for free.
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is bringing a day of community CPR training to Boscombe as part of its annual Restart a Heart initiative.
The event will take place at the Sovereign Shopping Centre, Boscombe, on Friday 16 October 2026, with training available between 9am and 4.30pm.
Image: Unsplash
The event is designed to make learning CPR as accessible as possible, whether visitors have never tried it before or simply want to refresh their knowledge.
Ambulance service staff will provide practical training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as well as demonstrating how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
The sessions are part of Restart a Heart, an initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK which aims to increase awareness of cardiac arrest and give more members of the public the confidence to respond during an emergency.
Those who complete a 15-minute CPR session will receive a certificate, although people who only have a few minutes to spare can still stop by and learn useful lifesaving techniques.
A cardiac arrest can happen suddenly and without warning, leaving very little time for those nearby to act.
SWASFT says around 80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home, meaning it could be a friend, relative or other loved one who needs immediate help.
Starting CPR and using a defibrillator as quickly as possible can more than double a person's chances of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Every minute without CPR can significantly reduce the chance of survival, making the actions of somebody already at the scene particularly important while an ambulance is on its way.
The Boscombe event therefore isn't simply aimed at people working in healthcare. It is open to the wider community and gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn what to do during those crucial first few minutes.
For many people, one of the biggest barriers to helping during a cardiac arrest is simply not knowing what to do.
SWASFT hopes the Restart a Heart events will give more people the confidence to step forward rather than feeling helpless while waiting for emergency services.
Hannah Butler, Volunteering and Community Services Officer at SWASFT, explained that every minute matters during a cardiac arrest and that straightforward actions such as beginning CPR or using a defibrillator can dramatically improve someone's chance of survival.
The October sessions are intended to show that these lifesaving techniques can be learnt by ordinary members of the public rather than just trained medical professionals.
Date: Friday 16 October 2026
Time: 9am-4.30pm
Location: Sovereign Shopping Centre, 600 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4SX
Cost: Free
Training: CPR and defibrillator awareness
Certificate: Available to anyone completing a 15-minute CPR session
Anyone unable to attend the Boscombe event can also find information through South Western Ambulance Service about arranging CPR and defibrillator training for community groups.
With just a few minutes of training potentially providing the skills needed to save somebody's life, the Boscombe event offers a simple opportunity to become better prepared should an emergency happen.
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