Local opticians learns life-saving skills with help from Retford Lions Club

The team at Specsavers Retford, which is locally owned and run, welcomed Retford Lions Club members to the Retford Enterprise Centre, where they provided CPR and defibrillator training.

The practical session gave everyone the opportunity to learn how to respond in an emergency and gain confidence in using a defibrillator.

The training was organised as part of the store's ongoing commitment to customer care, and team development and training.

It also marked the beginning of colleague Jessica Aldred’s London Marathon 2027 fundraising in aid of the British Heart Foundation. She will be running the iconic 26.2-mile course in memory of her grandad.

As a thank you for delivering the training, Specsavers Retford presented Retford Lions Club with a donation of £200.

The funds will help the organisation continue its work supporting individuals and community projects across the Bassetlaw community.

James Hardwick, store director at Specsavers Retford, says: ‘We would like to thank Bruce, Graham and Maureen for taking the time to share their invaluable knowledge and skills with our team.

"CPR is a valuable life skill that we are keen for us all to learn, and defibrillator training can make a real difference in an emergency situation, whether it is in-store or in the community.

‘We are also delighted to support the fantastic work Retford Lions Club carries out locally and hope our donation will contribute towards helping them continue making a positive impact.’

According to the British Heart Foundation, fewer than one-in-10 people in the UK survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Increasing awareness of CPR, providing training and improving access to defibrillators can play a vital role in improving survival rates.

If you’d like to sponsor Jessica, you can pop into the store at 10a Market Place, Retford to make a donation or head to her fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jess-aldred?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL