The first of many first aid and defibrillator training sessions begins in Borehamwood town centre.

On October 16, two sessions of first aid and defibrillator training were offered to staff at Borehamwood Library, Hertsmere Leisure Centre and various supermarkets along the main street.

The defibrillator team, which includes town councillors, have been working alongside the police, fire and ambulance services to place defibrillators across the town and train people to use them.

Town councillor Pat Strack, of the Hillside Ward and the coordinator of the project, said: “We want to raise awareness of where the defibrillators are and how to use them.

“We started campaigning after some firemen were showing how to use on and it was brought it up in the CSP meeting which I chair.”

The campaign to get public accessible defibrillators in various locations around the town was started by Lawrence Stack, the vice chair of the Elstree and Borehamwood Residents Association.

Mr Stack has collected money for the project and according to Cllr Strack he has collected more than £1300 and much of it has come from the Big Brother queues.

The team which has been campaigning since June and included town councillors Clive Butchins, Gary Silver, Eric Silver and Sandra Parnell.

Mr Stack said: “We need to get first aid into schools.

“I feel very strongly about it and hopefully it will spread all over Hertfordshire.”

The defibrillator and first aid training started on October 16 at the Borehamwood Library which station manager for GOVIA James Gillett provided the two free sessions.

The in depth and interactive sessions covered how to use a defibrillator and laws and legislations surrounding first aid.

In exchange for Mr Gillett doing the training the team are putting defibrillators into Elstree and Borehamwood Station in November.

The station is now manned 24/7 and the defibrillator was donated by the Borehamwood Spiritualist Centre based at Allum Lane.

Despite not offering the sessions to residents at the moment, Cllr Strack is hoping to start a ‘first response campaign’ in the future.