A First Aid group franchise, which benefitted from a Dragon’s Den investment, has gone from strength to strength almost a year on.
Owners of Mini First Aid Kate and Matt Ball successfully received a £50,000 investment from Dragon’s Den Entrepreneur, Sara Davies, during an episode that aired in June last year.
The episode saw children demonstrate on each other how to perform abdominal thrusts using the Actfast Anti Choking Vest, which was taught in the Mini First Aid Kids class.
Julia Stubbs, who owns the Bolton, Bury, and Salford franchise, said: “It has really helped with the first aid training for families teaching them really simple things, so they know what to do in these situations.
“It’s still very early days with Sara but I know that, as a brand, we want to be able to deliver all of our courses across the whole of the UK, so that’s what we’re working towards.
“It can be the difference between saving a life and not.
“For example, choking is so common and happens so often, and it doesn’t have to be serious.
“It’s these simple things where people know whether to phone 999 or not, where lives don’t have to be lost unnecessarily.”
Julia initially went on a course with her husband Ben when her son Leo – who is now aged two –was unable to keep his blood sugar stable and digest his food.
She added: “I felt like I should be able to help, but I didn’t know what to do.
“And knowing what to do in these situations could save a life.”
Julia offers a range of classes for anyone who looks after children, with the opportunity to gain a qualification at the end of it.
In Bolton she has taught first aid training at St Peter’s Primary School, The Gates Primary School, Highfield Primary School, and St William of York Catholic Primary School, as part of the national curriculum.
The award-winning Baby and Child first aid classes teach CPR, how to deal with choking, burns, bleeds, breaks, head bumps, febrile seizures and meningitis awareness, to prepare parents, grandparents, or babysitters for "everyday accidents".
Julia said: “When you have parents saying they ‘never thought they would have to put it into practice, but they knew what to do’, you know you are making a difference.”
For more information on Mini First Aid, visit minifirstaid.co.uk.
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