First aid teens earn specialist qualification

Bandages and artificial blood were in abundance at the weekend when a group of young people undertook a specialist first aid course as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition training.

The eight teenagers, from the Community and Youth Services' outdoor education project, all earned their Rescue Emergency Care (REC) qualification following a weekend of training at Castle Hill Youth and Community Centre in Maidenhead. The course was made possible through the support of the Youth Opportunity Fund, which has funded it as part of a year-long expedition training programme.

REC trains candidates to respond to emergency situations outdoors, where the elements and sometimes remoteness can complicate the response to an injury.

This is the first time the outdoor education project has provided this higher level of training to its award group.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children's services, said: "Well done to the eight young people who put in so much effort and enthusiasm, and to their instructors. This fun and challenging course is a great way for them to increase their confidence in dealing with potentially difficult situations and become more independent – skills which are equally useful within the wider community."

Helen Smith, youth worker, outdoor education project, said: "These new skills and increased awareness of the environment will enable the group to be more self-sufficient on their final Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition. The assessed expedition takes place on Lough Erne in Ireland this summer."

The participants, all Maidenhead residents, were: Harriet Burdett, Ciara Byrne, Michael Crown, Kiranjit Kaurmann, Alex Shiell, Alex Snell, Mandeep Sohi and Henry Stone.