Kirkby pupils study heart health and win new defibrillator cabinet

Greenwood Primary and Nursery School pupil Athena Ashford won her school a cabinet for its defibrillator in a competition run for school children.

The cabinet was presented by Holly Younger, a cardiac nurse by profession and the chairperson for charity Leon’s Legacy. She explained that the charity aims to install defibrillators in schools across the region to better the survival chances of those suffering a cardiac arrest.

The charity was originally set up in memory of her own father Leon, who himself suffered a cardiac arrest at work and sadly lost his life.

On the day, Holly said: “This school was the third school we gave a defibrillator to.

“But I am here because we ran a competition for our charity’s first birthday to win an indoor cabinet, which was kindly donated by Mansfield Hockey Club. The children could write poems, create a poster or a picture, anything to demonstrate why defibrillators and CPR are important. We received lots of entries and Greenwood children came in first and third place.”

Before Holly’s visit, the school organised a special lesson, where children were able to examine 30 pig hearts to understand how the heart functions, and to learn the names of the different parts of the heart.

Pupil Athena Ashford who won the charity’s competition with her poster said she thought the day was an extra special experience. She said: “I’m so happy, especially knowing that two children from the same class in Greenwood have won goody bags and a cabinet for the school.

“To find the facts that I used on my poster I looked online and made sure that the facts I included were all current to 2020 advice. I definitely think my family will be proud of me.”