A NEW scheme to make Ilkley the safest place in Wharfedale to have a heart attack has been announced.

Business staff, members of the public and even the town's schoolchildren could soon learn vital life saving skills under the Heartstart UK training scheme.

"There can be nothing more distressing than to witness a heart attack and not be able to help the victim and knowing that every moment that passes before medical help can arrive is vital," said Desmond Longfellow, the president of Ilkley Rotary Club, when he announced the scheme this week.

In co-operation with the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service and representatives from Ilkley's Parish Council and the Independent Local Traders Association, the Rotary Club has established a committee to oversee the introduction of Heartstart UK to Ilkley.

The scheme is the first of its kind to be set up in the area and aims to bring together the strategic requirements of the ambulance service and the needs of the community.

About 330,000 people a year suffer from a heart attack, and the greatest danger to the patient is the first hour of the attack, often before they reach hospital. People who might otherwise die could be saved if only more members of the public knew how to perform emergency life saving support.

Heartstart UK is a project co-ordinated by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to promote and develop emergency life support training in the community. There are more than 200 schemes affiliated to Heartstart UK which teach simple life-saving skills to the

public.

Mr Longfellow said: "I am delighted that our application for affiliation to Heartstart has been accepted and I am grateful to BHF for their support and generous funding.

"Without this we would not have had the equipment to start training people in emergency life saving skills. We need members of our community to come forward and be trained."

Dr John Neasham Rotarian, local GP and chairman of the Heartstart committee, said: "Initially it is our intention to offer training to businesses in the centre of the town where there is the greatest concentration of people during the day. Heart attacks however, are not confined to the middle aged and old, nor to the centre of the town.

"We also aim to offer training in local schools so that our children can also be prepared and eventually to the general public."

Roddie Barclay, owner of the Craiglands Hotel, Cowpasture Road, said: "It is important that any place which caters for the public should do all it can to safeguard its customers. As soon as the trainers are available I intend to invite them to Craiglands where my staff can be trained. This is so important that I will be glad to host training for other similar businesses with smaller premises."

Scheme co-ordinator and Rotarian Philip Chinque said there would be no charge for anyone who comes forward for training, but donations to help extend the scheme or buy further equipment would be welcome.

Any surplus cash would be made available to the British Heart Foundation. Cheques only made payable to 'Heartstart - Ilkley in Wharfedale Initiative' can be sent to 18 Parish Ghyll Drive, Ilkley, LS 29 9ND.

Mr Chinque is in the process of contacting town centre businesses asking for volunteers to come forward for training. Once the scheme is up and running there are plans for a possible extension into other areas of the Wharfe Valley.

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