Three school colleagues receive awards for saving cyclist in cardiac arrest

Kip Knowles, 58, has reunited with the three school staff members who saved his life last year, after he collapsed in cardiac arrest while cycling alone on the South Downs. PE teacher Stacey Charman, cookery teacher Chellie Messenger and school nurse Claire Agnew performed CPR for around 25 minutes and used a defibrillator to restart his heart.

The women were honoured by St John Ambulance’s Lifesavers at Work Awards for their lifesaving actions, Sussex World reported. The charity launched the initiative to recognise inspirational lifesavers in workplaces across the UK.

The event was held at Chapter Hall at St John’s Gate, London.“Every one of the winners was an ordinary person who refused to give up on someone whose life was slipping away. These people are alive today because someone nearby knew what to do, and that should be true for everyone in this country,” Shona Dunn, CEO of St John Ambulance, said at the event.“Cardiac arrest is the emergency that workers fear the most, yet two in five say they wouldn’t know how to perform CPR.