Our Paramedic Society and friends, go the distance to complete 24 hours of non-stop CPR fundraising.
We could not be prouder of our incredible Paramedic Society, who have successfully completed a remarkable 24-hour, non-stop CPR fundraising marathon, raising vital funds for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
What began as an ambitious idea back in the summer, when the newly elected Society Committee first proposed the challenge, developed into an extraordinary event. Months of planning, preparation and promotion followed, with the committee working tirelessly behind the scenes to organise equipment, coordinate volunteers and bring their vision to life.
08:00 Thursday 5th November – Stafford
The challenge officially began at 08:00 on Thursday morning in the Stafford Centre of Excellence Atrium, as staff, students and volunteers came together to Keep the Beat.
With the first compressions underway, the 24-hour countdown had begun!
Determined to keep the mannequin's chest rising and falling around the clock, society members, staff and volunteers took turns in carefully coordinated time slots. Under the watchful eye of the committee, participants swapped places every two minutes, ensuring everyone could play their part without becoming too exhausted. After all, delivering effective CPR is no easy task!
In a wonderful example of learning meeting community spirit, the event also coincided with planned teaching activities. A huge thank you goes to the lecturing teams who encouraged students to get involved during their lessons, giving them the opportunity to put their CPR training into practice while supporting a fantastic cause.
As the day progressed, the compressions continued, fuelled by plenty of enthusiasm (and some well-earned pizza from the lecturers!). Into the evening, students from Keele Paramedic Society and some of our newly qualified paramedics came off shift and joined the challenge, while academic colleagues rallied alongside the team to help bring the Stafford leg to a successful close at 20:00.
It was a fantastic day at the Stafford campus, a great atmosphere and an amazing opportunity for students from Nursing and Midwifery to get involved too. It was so lovely to see our campus community come together.
20:00 Thursday 5th November – Stoke
Twelve hours down, twelve to go!
After a busy day in Stafford, dozens of volunteers had already taken part and hundreds of pounds had been raised for charity. But the team were far from finished. With half the challenge behind them, it was time to pack up, move locations and Keep the Beat going.
The next stop was Ember Lounge in Stoke, where a section of the venue received a rather unusual makeover, transforming into the home of the CPR marathon for the next 12 hours.
It was great to see students, staff and lots of our paramedics from stoke continue the marathon. The passion and enthusiasm from the paramedic society support by Keele paramedics was amazing to see. At 1:20am this morning they hit the fundraising target with huge celebrations from all those involved.
As the evening drew to a close and the venue closed its doors, the challenge entered its toughest stretch, the overnight team faced the prospect of keeping the compressions going through the early hours. Tiredness was setting in, but determination remained high. Through teamwork, encouragement, party tunes, pizza, lots of sugar and a shared commitment to the cause, the volunteers continued to Keep the Beat.
Making us incredibly proud of what they have achieved as student volunteers for a fantastic cause!
08:00 Friday 6th November
And then, finally, the moment everyone had been working towards!
At 08:00 on Friday morning, the team crossed the finish line, bringing an incredible 24 hours of continuous CPR to a close. Tired but still smiling, the volunteers and committee had every reason to feel immensely proud of what they had achieved.
From the first compressions in Stafford to the final push in Stoke, the challenge had brought together students, staff, academic colleagues and fellow societies, all united by one shared goal.
More than just a fundraising event, Keep the Beat was a brilliant demonstration of teamwork, community spirit and the importance of lifesaving CPR skills.
And the final fundraising total after 24 hours? An amazing £1,364.92 raised for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity!
The Society Committee reflected on the experience:
"With this being our first official event as a society, nervous was an understatement! It meant so much that we had non-paramedic students, lecturers and even students from Keele come to help out!"
"This event will be unforgettable, and what a way to start with a bang!"
"Thank you to everyone who showed up during the two legs of our 24hr event in support of us"
A huge congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part, volunteered, donated, and supported to help make this event possible. Particular recognition goes to the Society Committee; Will Marshall, Ethan Marshall & Mia Griffin whose hard work, planning, dedication and determination turned a summer idea into an unforgettable 24-hour achievement.
24 hours. Countless compressions. One incredible team. They really did Keep the Beat and make us Proud to be part of Staffs!
It’s not too late if you wish to donate.