A Perthshire schoolgirl has shown she is in a class act when it comes to saving lives.
Rebecca Morrison, 11, presented a lesson on how to perform CPR for fellow pupils at Kilgraston School at Bridge of Earn.
Rebecca, an Order of St John Youth ambassador, held the session for junior year students, alongside her mother, Susan Morrison, a registered CPR trainer and former acute coronary care nurse.
Keeping people alive is a family affair for the Morrisons.
Rebecca’s dad, Dr Ian Morrison is a consultant neurologist with NHS Tayside and her five-year-old sister, Elizabeth is already proficient in carrying out first aid procedures.
Dr Morrison, a member of the Order of St John, said Scotland’s schools should be doing more to teach the skills to youngsters.
He said: “First aid provision is on schools’ curriculum in Wales, but sadly not in Scotland.
“Having the correct practice equipment from St John has allowed us to reach out to the Perth and Kinross community during the last couple of years and raise awareness of these vital skills.”
Mrs Morrison said Rebecca was thrilled to be able to take her skills into the classroom and hoped others would follow her lead.
She said: “She’s very determined, conducting first aid training sessions at various community groups throughout Perthshire.”
“Children are fearless and quite able to conduct, or guide an adult through, resuscitation techniques.
“Something as technical as using a defibrillator, or accurate chest compression, or as simple as knowing who to call, or the correct recovery position, can all be vital first aid response tools children from six or seven are perfectly able to perform.”
Rebecca, who wants to become a human rights lawyer when she is older, helped to raise money for a new defibrillator to be installed at Kilgraston School.
She has also raised £650 for the Hebron Eye Hospital in Palestine, run by St John International, over the last year.
The school said it had been inspired by recent comments from Dr Ada Ezihe-Ejiofor, a consultant anaesthetist based in London, who is an advocate for teaching lifesaving skills in schools.
She said the UK’s survival rates and first aid education were poor compared to other European countries.
She said: “How is it that the Norwegians have a survival rate of one in four, when ours is only around seven?
“It’s because they have been teaching CPR in schools since 1961.
“The figures will only change once this becomes more than a one-off”.”
