Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity have launched the Heart of the Community accreditation scheme — championing schools and colleges that put life-saving skills at the heart of their culture.

This brand-new scheme celebrates secondary schools and colleges that are committed to CPR education and ensuring defibrillators are accessible when they’re needed most.

For more than a decade, Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Restart a Heart campaign has been making a huge impact. Since 2014, teams have delivered almost 1,100 school visits and taught CPR to over 270,000 students — helping boost the number of people ready and willing to step in during a cardiac arrest.

The Heart of the Community scheme recognises those incredible efforts and encourages even more schools and colleges to get involved, expanding CPR training and improving access to defibs across Yorkshire.

There are three tiers to aim for — Bronze, Silver and Gold — each recognising how schools and colleges have: