Cheam "Young First Aiders Course"
   
 
 
"The gym has been struck by lightning, what shall I do?"
   
 
Possible but not likely. However, there may be times when you might have asked yourself this question when faced with an injured gymnast (or child, or adult)
   
         

Cheam hosted a " Young First Aider - Emergency Life Support Course", which was taught by a Technician in his last year of training to be a paramedic, who is also a qualified Level 3 coach at the club. Children from the club learnt key skills such as how to deal with an emergency, how to help someone choking and how to give CPR. The course was sponsored by the club and by Sutton Sports Council, and is the first step in educating young minds about not having to be afraid to know what to do when a gymnast in the club is injured.
The content is specifically designed to be mostly appropriate in any gymnastics club. The situations covered relate to soft tissue injury up to fractures and CPR. It is a lively, vibrant and definitely "hands on" course, with candidates assuming "role play" as "victim" and as "First Aider". Candidates practise on "Annie" and her family of CPR dolls from baby to adult in learning how to support life threatening events until experienced help arrives on the scene.
This is an accredited course, with all attendees receiving the "Young First Aiders" Award.

This was followed by "First Aid Awareness for Gymnastics Coaches", a pilot course for coaches in the club designed with the specific sport of gymnastics in mind. This also had similar aims to the "Young First Aiders" course, following the same situations and how to deal with them. This was also sponsored by Cheam Gymnastics Club and Sutton Sports Council.

This course was organised at the request of the club, and all attendees received a Certificate of Attendance.

It is hoped this course will receive official accreditation to be able to be rolled out to gymnastics coaches nationwide.
The"First Aid Awareness for Gymnastics Coaches", a pilot course for coaches in the club designed with the specific sport of gymnastics in mind. This has similar aims to the "Young First Aiders" course, following the same situations and how to deal with them. This was also sponsored by Cheam Gymnastics Club and Sutton Sports Council.