I have always wanted and enjoyed giving back to my local community. Not just by providing a service, but actually helping people in a time of need.

For some people this is helping at a local foodbank, or litter picking regularly in their local park.

For me, I have always been drawn to helping the injured, whether that be an injured animal though my volunteering with HART or humans.

Once upon a time I learnt of a programme of volunteers called community first responders. Their role? TO go and help people after they’ve called 999 and provide emergency first aid until an ambulance can get to them.

I have applied for this role at least 3 times previously, but there has never been funding and/or vacancy in my area. That is until recently, when I checked as I sporadically do did and there were 3 vacancies in the Basingstoke locale.

So a small online form later, and I have applied.

That was a little over 2 months ago now, and since then I have had

• a very informal phone interview with the SCAS CFR co-ordinator,
• a very slightly more formal interview with the co-ordinator and a member of his team
• reference requests (completed by 2 good friends of mine)
• and numerous forms to fill out

All that is culminating in my first training session later this month down in Southampton, to start my journey to becoming a fully fledged CFR.

What will it bring? I don’t know, but where possible I will share here what I can around my experiences, my emotions (I don’t for a second think this role will be all sugar and spice) and my thoughts on this vital role.