VILLAGERS in Kingsclere will be able to give the gift of life thanks to a care service which is housed in the area.

Bluebird Care, based in Kingsclere Business Park, will be hosting two training sessions to allow people to learn the basics of first aid.

The courses, which will be held on January 22, have been organised as a joint venture between Bluebird, a provider of home and live-in care services, and Heartstart, which is part of the British Heart Foundation.

During the hour-long sessions, participants will learn how and when to perform CPR on an adult or child, how to put someone in the recovery position and how to use a publicly accessible Automatic Emergency Defibrillator (AED) device.

The course is timed to follow the installation of a defibrillator machine last week by Bluebird Care, which can be found outside its offices in Kingsclere Business Park.

Bluebird Care director, Phil Miles, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide these valuable resources as part of our contribution to the local community.

“The defibrillator and the free first aid courses will both help in the event of an emergency.

“We strongly believe that basic first aid knowledge is a really important skill and hope what we are offering will enable more people to have the equipment, knowledge and confidence in an emergency situation.

“I would strongly encourage local residents to come along in the New Year and join us for this informative course.”

The courses are being led by an experienced instructor who will cover all the basics for a Level 3 Award in ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’.

The sessions are at 5.30pm and 6.45pm.

To find out more or to sign up, email kingsclere@bluebirdcare.co.uk or call 01256 762324.