Life Savers and Fundraisers
Students at Dundee & Angus College raised £500 for new defibrillators by participating in Emergency First Aid training, gaining both lifesaving skills and industry-recognised qualifications.
The inspiring fundraising activity builds on the remarkable story of Billy Clark, a military veteran and well-known local figure, who suffered a heart attack on August 13th at the College’s Gardyne Sports Centre. Thanks to the swift actions of Gardyne attendants, John Burke and Taylor McColl, who performed CPR and used the centre’s defibrillator, along with off-duty colleague Ciaran McNally, Billy’s life was saved.
In gratitude, Billy is dedicating his annual Christmas lights fundraiser to helping the College secure more defibrillators and raise awareness about the importance of CPR and defibrillator training. His efforts inspired, Sports and Fitness Lecturer Stacey McColl, who is also QualSafe trainer and assessor, to organise an Emergency First Aid course for students. Led by Stacey and her colleague Wendy Wallace, the course gave 20 students the chance to gain critical skills while supporting this lifesaving cause.
Stacey said: “Following the incident with Billy, I felt it was so important to raise awareness of the importance of CPR training and the use of an AED. I wanted to provide our sports students with the opportunity to gain knowledge, acquire the skills required to deal with an emergency and obtain an industry-recognised qualification. I am so proud that we were able to upskill 20 students and raise funds for such an important lifesaving resource.”
The £500 raised by the students will be added to the funds Billy has raised. In the New Year, Stacey will present a cheque to Billy, contributing to the purchase of additional defibrillators for College campuses and further promoting the importance of lifesaving skills.
