Vital life saving skills to be taught to thousands of children across North West thanks to pioneering former Burnley mum

A charity, established by a former Burnley woman after the tragic death of her baby daughter,  has won funding to offer free first aid to thousands of schoolchildren across the North West.
A charity set up by former Burnley woman Joanne Thompson has won almost 10,000 of funding to run vital first aid classes for children in the North West.A charity set up by former Burnley woman Joanne Thompson has won almost 10,000 of funding to run vital first aid classes for children in the North West.
A charity set up by former Burnley woman Joanne Thompson has won almost 10,000 of funding to run vital first aid classes for children in the North West.

Millie's Trust has been presented with £9,840 from the Aviva Community Fund after the public voted for the trust in a online poll in the Skills for Life section.

Schools in North West England can apply now to receive one day of first aid training, which will be split into a morning session and an afternoon session of approximately 30 children each.

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The training, which will cover basic life support skills and how to use a defibrillator, will be available

to pupils in year five and above at primary and secondary schools within the North West of England.

Millie's Trust was set up by Joanne Thompson and her husband, Dan, following the loss of their daughter Millie in a choking incident at nursery in October 2012.

The ethos of the trust is that everyone should have access to first aid training and its aim is to make that

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readily available at minimal cost and in as many places as possible.

Joanne, who is a former pupil of Padiham Primary and Ivy Bank high schools, was named as Lorraine Kelly’s Inspirational Woman of the Year in 2014 in recognition of her pioneering work.

Speaking about the Aviva cash award Joanne, who is Chief Executive of the Trust, said: "“Millie’s Trust is extremely proud to have been given the opportunity to train thousands of children in the North West of England and, thanks to the generosity of the Aviva Community Fund, are looking forward to teaching the children essential basic life support skills, something that we strongly believe should be on the school curriculum already.”

Schools can email [email protected] to apply. Emails must be sent from a school email address

and applications must be made by Friday, April 5th.. The successful schools will be contacted by

April 30th to arrange the training days.

The training must be taken by December 31st..