Joining forces to help save children's lives

A mother from the borough whose baby son choked and was helped by firefighters is expanding her mission to teach vital life-saving skills.
By Andrew Nowell
Published 7th Jun 2019, 10:01 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2019, 11:01 BST
Francesca Lowe pictured with Louise Eckersley, Dawn Hilton, Teresa Knowles, Amy Morris from Westleigh Start Well Centre, who leads the session, and Collette Gallimore, rightFrancesca Lowe pictured with Louise Eckersley, Dawn Hilton, Teresa Knowles, Amy Morris from Westleigh Start Well Centre, who leads the session, and Collette Gallimore, right
Francesca Lowe pictured with Louise Eckersley, Dawn Hilton, Teresa Knowles, Amy Morris from Westleigh Start Well Centre, who leads the session, and Collette Gallimore, right

Francesca Lowe, from Lowton, has now started running Save A Child’s Life to pass on first aid skills which could help youngsters after their first birthday if they are choking, drowning or require CPR.

Francesca is rolling out the new scheme to run alongside her existing Save A Baby’s Life classes which help parents and guardians ensure no harm comes to children in their first year of life.

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She first started expanding the provision of free first aid courses in the area after her son Thomas choked on some milk aged just three months and she had to stop at Leigh fire station for help from the crews.

Save A Child’s Life is being run at four different venues cross Leigh and Golborne through Westleigh Start Well.

Francesca, 44, said: “Save A Child’s Life is for children over 12 months old up to being a young adult. It goes through where first aid for children is quite different to what you do for babies.

“The main aim for me is to get families all doing some form of first aid. You don’t get a handbook when you have a child but if you did I would think first aid should be in it.

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“It’s a skill for life and it gives you that confidence that if anything happened you would know what to do.

“I’ve had mums and dads whose parents have done the course for when their children are with them and I’ve now had a couple of people whose children have had choking incidents and they’ve used skills off the course.

“I’m really passionate about changing lives and I think first aid is something you should be able to learn for free.

“Not everyone can go to a fire station, I don’t think the crews would appreciate people just turning up!”

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The two-hour course covers what to do in a number of emergency situations and at the end of it everyone who completes it gets a certificate.

Francesca has been helped to offer her life-saving courses for babies around the borough with support from Wigan Council, Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles and the Royal Life Saving Society UK.

Francesca recently held a session at LEIGHway on Gas Street and has classes lined up at Leigh Fire Station and Golborne Library during June and July.

To find out more or to book a place at a workshop ring 01942 777705.

Related topics:LeighCPR