ESSEX & Herts Air Ambulance has appointed another CPR clinician to join its CPR Smart™ programme, which offers free CPR and defibrillator training to schools across Essex and Hertfordshire as it looks to extend its reach into all schools across the two counties.

The programme takes CPR training one step further by empowering teachers and sixth form students to become CPR Smart Champions, who then train the wider school community. Laura Knowles, a trained paediatric nurse, has swapped the NHS and wards of the Evelina London Children's Hospital for the classroom as she joins advanced paramedics Adam Carr and Jon Stevens to deliver vital CPR training in schools.

Laura is all too aware of the impact of sudden cardiac arrest having lost her father just over a year ago. It was a team from the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance who attended Laura's father in March 2025 when he collapsed playing table tennis having suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite their best efforts, Laura's father sadly died.

Laura and her family have had the support of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Patient and Family Liaison team ever since. When she saw the role advertised, Laura describes how it felt like it was 'meant to be'. She's determined to ensure as many people as possible have basic CPR should they be faced with someone going into cardiac arrest.

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance has already trained over 800 Champions across over 100 schools, building skills in thousands more pupils. Laura's appointment is designed to boost uptake across Hertfordshire schools in particular.

Each year, around 35,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK, with survival rates below 10%. Every minute without CPR reduces the chance of survival by a further 10% making early intervention critical. As part of its mission to deliver life-saving pre-hospital care to critically ill or injured patients, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance is committed to training all children across Essex and Hertfordshire in vital CPR skills.

Adam Carr, Critical Care Paramedic and EHAAT's CPR Smart™ programme lead, said: "Early CPR can make the difference between life and death. If we can embed CPR skills early, we can arm future generations with the ability to be potential lifesavers. With CPR Smart, we have the potential to create a ripple effect of life-saving knowledge in schools and communities right across the country. We're looking forward to extending our reach even further with Laura joining the team".

Laura Knowles, the new CPR Smart clinician, said: "I'm excited to be joining the CPR Smart team. I strongly believe that CPR is a life skill everyone should learn. Starting with young people is especially powerful – teaching pupils in schools not only equips them with the confidence to act in an emergency but also helps build a generation that's more prepared to save lives. After what happened to my father, it feels like this is the role for me – and I'm determined to give as many people as possible the skills to save a life if the time ever comes".

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Laura's appointment was made possible thanks to fundraising from the charity's Development Board, a group of dedicated supporters and community leaders who volunteer their time to champion the charity's most ambitious philanthropic projects. Chair of the Board Mark Bevan said:

''The Development Board is hugely grateful for the financial support that we have received to date for this incredible initiative and will continue our efforts to ensure this vital programme can save even more lives in the communities that we serve''.

Interested schools should visit cprsmart.com. To ensure delivery remains free to schools Essex & Herts Air Ambulance relies on the support of individuals and businesses across Essex and Hertfordshire to cover the costs of staff, transport and equipment. To find out more or to donate, visit ehaat.org