A CHARITY has called for first aid education to be an integral part of the school curriculum.

The British Red Cross has released the findings of a survey that found that more than one in three people in Wales were not confident to use their first aid skills.

36 per cent of the people surveyed in Wales lacked confidence in their ability to intervene in the event of a first aid emergency with only 47 per cent suggesting they would be willing to administer first aid if required.

Only 14 per cent of the people surveyed felt they could respond to a situation where a person had collapsed and was not breathing.

International First Aid Day takes place Saturday and the charity is calling on the Welsh Government to ensure that lifesaving skills remain part of the school curriculum following a review.

British Red Cross crisis education manager in Wales, Dafydd Beech, said: “The findings of our survey show just how important lifesaving skills are, especially for families.

“Everybody wants to be able to help their loved ones in an emergency but is clear that too many lack the skills and confidence to do so.

“We would encourage everyone to seek out some first aid knowledge.

“It is also crucial that young people continue to learn lifesaving skills at school as part of their education as that grounding in first aid can be a first step towards ensuring that, in the future, Wales can boast a nation of confident lifesavers.

“Young people skilled in first aid are crucial assets to the health and well-being of the nation and can be a source of knowledge, confidence and inspiration to their families and communities.”

The British Red Cross is calling on all parents to visit worldfirstaidday.co.uk to learn how to help a choking baby or child and share these skills with family and friends.