FREE 30-minute CPR training sessions will be offered to every workplace in Oxfordshire from October.

The Start-a-Heart classes will be available to groups of 10 or more and could save the life of someone in cardiac arrest.

Three members of South Central Ambulance Service staff will run the sessions and have even pledged to use their own free time if necessary.

The classes are the latest initiative from SCAS divisional commander Dick Tracey to stop people in Oxfordshire dying unnecessarily from cardiac arrest.

Mr Tracey is also heading an Oxford Mail-backed campaign to get hundreds more public defibrillators across the county. He said: “We want to teach everybody over the age of 12 how to perform this simple but lifesaving task.

“The more people in the community we train in CPR, the greater the chances of saving someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

“While these free CPR training sessions are no substitute for a full first aid course, they will provide anyone with the necessary skills to deal with a cardiac arrest victim until an ambulance arrives.”

He said even people who have had CPR training in the past could benefit, as techniques rapidly evolve.

No extra time or money has been set aside to run the Start-a-Heart classes, and Mr Tracey has made it part of his team’s role.

The team is also fundraising to get £75,000 to buy a mobile classroom, which would allow them to run an outdoor CPR roadshow year-round, and people at Start-a-Heart classes will be invited to make donations.

SCAS divisional commander Mr Tracey said: “This would mean we could train even more people in CPR and other lifesaving first aid techniques across the region.”

His team mates, Ian Jones and Stephen Cartwright, are community responder liaison and training officers and teach people how to use defibrillators and CPR to save lives.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) involves using chest compressions to pump blood to the body’s organs if the heart has stopped.

A defibrillator can save someone’s life by shocking the heart back into beating regularly, but CPR can ensure that organs are not permanently damaged by oxygen deprivation.

Last week the Oxford Mail became the first workplace in the county to have one of the Start-a-Heart sessions.

Editor Simon O’Neill said: “It was fantastic to be able to be the first company to benefit from these sessions.

“Having proudly backed the defibrillator campaign, I know how important these skills can be.

“It’s great to know if someone were to suffer a cardiac arrest, our staff could now help save their life – not just in the office but out and about too.

“I would encourage others to sign up and help build an army of lifesavers across the county.”

Mr Tracey said his ongoing campaign to get more public access defibrillators across Oxfordshire was well on target to reach 500.

The ultimate aim of the campaign, launched in July 14, was to ensure no one in the county is more than 10 minutes away from one of the lifesaving units.

While installing defibrillators, Mr Tracey and his team have already taught CPR skills to more than 1,000 people, but Mr Tracey said he wanted to reach even more than that.

Start-a-Heart training sessions will last 30 to 40 minutes. Organisations will need to provide a venue but all equipment will be provided.

Volunteer first aid service St John Ambulance welcomed Mr Tracey’s initiative.

Regional workplace training manager Deborah Adwent said: “We welcome any scheme to teach life-saving skills to members of the public, as we believe no one should suffer for the lack of trained first aiders .

“We would also encourage businesses to have comprehensive first aid training for staff, to meet regulatory requirements in the workplace.”

* To book a place email richard.tracey@scas.nhs.uk.