Students from Harrow Way Community School have successfully completed the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) LifeLines Challenge.
A trip to the Air Ambulance’s base at Thruxton to meet the team and visit the training suite concluded the four-part challenge which the students have been working on since last July.
Harrow Way has long given first aid training a high priority with a commitment to deliver certificated first aid courses to all Key Stage 4 students as part of its ‘Be Ready’ programme. The challenge started with the HIOWAA team visiting the school to deliver a session which demonstrated how to respond in an emergency and the importance of teamwork and communication in these situations. During the visit the team also demonstrated what happens during a HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) mission.
Trained and briefed it was then over to the students to complete the remaining parts of the challenge – ‘Spread the word’ and ‘Get fundraising’. To raise awareness students made a short video highlighting the charities work, running costs and how they serve the community. This was shown to fellow students. To raise funds for the charity they worked with Harrow Way’s Business Studies department successfully completing the £10 challenge, which they turned into £100 by selling sweets and crisps.
During their reward trip to the airbase the students had the opportunity to visit Air Ambulance’s training suite, see some of the equipment used and have a question and answer session with some of the team.
Harrow Way’s Site and Facilities Manager Steve Badby who delivers all of the school’s first aid training commented: “I hope that this will be the first of many groups that we can get through this valuable project as, not only does it benefit the charity but also the students who take part. It is a great opportunity for them to explore different possible career paths, see what the funds they raise goes towards and create a link between Harrow Way and HIOWAA who are virtually on our doorstep.”
For more information on Harrow Way Community School, please call 01264 364533 or visit www.harroway.hants.sch.uk. Visits to the school by appointment are always welcome.
