NATIONWIDE Building Society has joined the fight for every heartbeat by announcing a charity partnership with the British Heart Foundation.

The year-long collaboration with the nation’s heart charity aims to create 35,000 potential lifesavers by rolling out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to employees and local communities across the UK. This will help the BHF reach a total of one million lifesavers trained in CPR, across the UK, by April 2017.

Nationwide CPR training sessions have been held across the UK, including Swindon, where more than 1,000 of their people are already trained to deal with a cardiac arrest situation. Employees will also be encouraged to share these vital skills with other colleagues and over 4,000 members of local community groups in 27 regions across the UK.

Craig Taylor, an internal communications manager at Nationwide in Swindon, who is trained to teach CPR said: “I was trained in CPR through the British Heart Foundation partnership, and I’ve learned some really vital skills. From the training I’ve received I have been able to teach my colleagues, who have then been able to train people they work with. It’s a really successful domino effect and a great way of passing on a lifesaving skill. Whilst I hope never to be in a situation to use CPR, I feel it’s a skill everyone should have.”

The BHF’s innovative ‘Call Push Rescue’ model of CPR training uses a self-directed learning film and an inflatable manikin to practice the techniques on, which allows companies to become self-sufficient in giving their employees these lifesaving skills.

Nationwide will also be funding BHF Call Push Rescue kits for 226 schools across the UK, 28 of which have been nominated by Nationwide members and employees.

Sara Bennison, chief marketing officer at Nationwide, said: “We’re delighted that we can support the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign by getting our people involved across the UK. A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age, and by training our employees and communities with the valuable skills of CPR, this will help create awareness and save lives. Education from a young age is also really important, and we’re pleased to help fund CPR packs for schools so that young people can develop the vital skills of spotting and dealing with a cardiac arrest.”

Every year more than 30,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of hospital but currently less than one in ten people survive.This is often because people don’t have the skills or confidence to perform CPR. In countries, like Norway, where CPR is more widely taught, survival rates are up to three times higher.

The BHF launched its Nation of Lifesavers campaign to improve out of hospital cardiac arrest survival rates in the UK, in 2014, alongside a new ‘Call Push Rescue’ CPR training kit.

James Hails, head of corporate partnerships at the BHF, said: “When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. That’s why we’re delighted that Nationwide Building Society is committed to training thousands of employees, school pupils and community groups in lifesaving CPR. With just 30 minutes of training in CPR, they will be given the skills that could mean the difference between life and death for someone who suffers a cardiac arrest.”