Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Champion Hillsborough Primary School

11th September 2024

Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are to sponsor Hillsborough Primary School children to receive vital life saving first aid and healthy minds training.

Earlier this year Mini First Aid Sheffield launched an appeal for businesses, sport clubs and philanthropists to help level the playing field for local children by becoming a Mini First Aid School Champion.

This is an opportunity for individuals and organisations to pledge support for primary school children to access expertly delivered life saving first aid and healthy minds training. For every school and class pledge made by Champions, Mini First Aid Sheffield will deliver an extra class to support even more children in South Yorkshire. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club (SWFC) have a long-standing relationship with Hillsborough Primary School and jumped at the chance to become their Mini First Aid School Champion.

SWFC Participation Manager Brett Pitcher, said: “We work very closely with Hillsborough Primary School who are located just a stone's throw from SWFC stadium. When we heard there was an opportunity to support their pupils to access this specialist training we couldn’t wait to make the pledge. This initiative gives children who might not otherwise be able to access these specialist skills, the opportunity to learn lifelong strategies to support their own and other people's health and wellbeing. Mini First Aid Sheffield are incredible partners and we’re proud to be a Mini First Aid School Champion.”

In 2020 the government made first aid training for children in schools compulsory. And yet, schools in more deprived areas have limited access to the funds and expertise needed to deliver the professional first aid training that can help save lives. School children in less affluent areas of South Yorkshire are already disproportionately disadvantaged when it comes to health and wellbeing and having less access to people and funding, only serves to widen this gap. According to Local Authority Pupil Premium figures, one in three primary school-aged children in South Yorkshire are classed as disadvantaged.The Mini First Aid School Champion campaign aims to directly support school children who struggle to access this professional first aid and healthy minds training.

Hillsborough Primary School Assistant head Teacher Teresa Minnis, said: “We are thrilled to partner with SWFC and Mini First Aid Sheffield. Healthy minds is a top priority for us and this is an opportunity for our children to learn skills and strategies that will support them throughout their education and beyond. The first aid training will equip pupils with potentially life saving skills, and hopefully, also help inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals right here in Sheffield.”

Mini First Aid Sheffield delivers specialist training to children, parents and carers in schools and community settings in Rotherham, Barnsley and Sheffield. Beyond the obvious benefits of learning life saving first aid skills, the Mini First Aid team provides a bespoke Healthy Minds course to school children, giving them the understanding and tools needed to better navigate and respond to mental health challenges.

Mini First Aid Sheffield Director Kelly Wooller has run Mini First Aid Sheffield since 2022. The business was first founded by Kate Ball in Leeds in 2014. Demand grew quickly and in 2015 Kate started franchising the business nationally. In 2021, BBC Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies became a business investor and advisor. Mini First Aid is now a multi-award-winning organisation, with a strong brand, customer following and over 70 franchises nationwide. Kelly and Matt want to harness the strength of the network and its reach, to benefit school children in South Yorkshire through this local project; Mini First Aid School Champions.

Mini First Aid Sheffield has five trainers who are all qualified NHS professionals committed to delivering inclusive first aid and healthy minds training in a fun and accessible way. Businesses and sports clubs can join with Sheffield Wednesday Football Club and other school champions by making a pledge to support local school children. 
To learn more, please contact: kellyandmatt@minifirstaid.co.uk