Sophie Wilding

Sophie, 37, began her journey with Lancashire Adult Learning by attending a First Aid Lancashire Lifesavers course. She re-established her love for learning and didn’t look back…

She later achieved the Level 2 Award in Basic Life Support for Adults and Children and the Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid.

Sophie’s aim was to look for volunteering opportunities in her local area, to be more involved in community projects and then progress into a career in a similar field.

She thought the qualifications would be good certificates to have for her family, volunteering roles and future employment. The courses gave her the idea and confidence to set up a community outreach project that she heads up in her community, and it is growing in its importance and scope all the time.

Sophie said: “I feel more confident should I need to give any First Aid and I have been able to make links with the local community that I otherwise may not have made.

“I feel I am able to show my children smaller First Aid skills and how to remain calm in stressful situations. I learned about defibrillators and it was made so simple, when before I was terrified that they were complicated and I wouldn’t have ever used one.

“The outreach group I set up off the back of the courses is going really well. We’re supporting more people each month and I have shared some of the skills I have learned with others. We’re also starting a walking group in the new year to reduce isolation and improve mental wellbeing.”

If you want to follow in Sophie’s footsteps, visit our website at www.lal.ac.uk today to discover our new range of courses for adult learners in Lancashire.

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