Mother hailed for inspirational first aid training

News imageBBC A picture of Viv Moore smiling looking at the camera wearing a StJohn's Ambulance black top with green shoulders, a Youth Leader badge.BBC
Viv Moore said being part of the service allowed her to stay involved with first aid

A woman who had to give up her paramedic career when her daughter was born said being a volunteer with St John's Ambulance Service for 60 years allowed her to stay involved with first aid.

Viv Moore, from Nuneaton, started volunteering with the service when her daughter was nine years old and spent nearly six decades working for the service.

Over the years, she said she had trained a lot of young people in first aid, attended events as an emergency responder and even funded a defibrillator for her local area.

"There have been a few times where you think, 'well actually do I want to go', but then you look at the effects that you have on the young people,"Moore told BBC CWR.

Moore said she joined the cadet branch of St John's when she was 10 and "became part of that family".

"They look after you, you look after then, and it is just natural to stay," she added.

Nic Old, from the service, told BBC CWR that a lot of young people have gone into careers in healthcare and "that is due to Viv, and being guided by her".

"She always goes the extra mile to ensure people are cared for and tasks are achieved," he added.

Moore was named a Warwickshire ChangeMaker at an awards ceremony held at Warwick Castle on 4 August that honoured 100 local community heroes, volunteers, and civic leaders who have significantly improved lives across Warwickshire.

Old said Moore was an "inspiration to all of us".

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