Building confidence to act: the volunteers helping communities learn CPR

One of the most powerful things a volunteer can do is help someone feel ready to act in an emergency. Through CPR and defibrillator awareness work, volunteers are helping people build the confidence to recognise cardiac arrest, respond quickly and play their part in the chain of survival. Felicity Macleod and Wilson Chu both show what that looks like in practice. 

Felicity Macleod was inspired to volunteer with St John Scotland after discovering its work online and seeing first-hand how public action can make a meaningful difference in emergency situations. Bringing experience and enthusiasm for teaching, she has used volunteering as a way to keep developing those skills while helping members of the public feel more informed and capable. Her experience highlights the value of making lifesaving knowledge feel accessible, practical and relevant to everyday people. 

Wilson Chu shares that same belief in the value of public confidence. He sees CPR as a simple skill that more people should feel able to learn, share and use. Through volunteering, he has helped spread awareness while also building friendships and trust within the community. His message is clear: lifesaving skills should not feel out of reach, because anyone may one day be in a position to help a stranger, a friend or a family member. 

In the Highlands, CPR Lead Mike MacDonald and his team are also being acknowledged for their dedication, regularly travelling hundreds of miles to deliver CPR and defibrillator training across the area. Their commitment shows the extraordinary effort volunteers make to bring lifesaving skills to communities, even across large and rural distances. 

Together, their stories show that CPR awareness is not only about technical knowledge. It is also about removing hesitation, encouraging action, going to extra mile and helping communities feel more prepared when every second matters.