Yorkshire Ambulance Service Unveils New Life-saving Video for Restart a Heart Day

Yorkshire Ambulance Service is proud to announce the launch of its latest CPR and defibrillator training video, created in partnership with Leeds-based digital learning specialists, Dynamic, in support of Restart a Heart Day.

Every year in the UK, more than 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital - an alarming statistic made even more sobering by the fact that 80% of these incidents occur at home. Tragically, fewer than one in ten survive. These figures highlight the urgent need for wider CPR knowledge, as anyone could find themselves needing to save the life of a friend, family member, or neighbour.

The 10-minute training video, available free of charge, aims to improve this statistic by equipping the public with clear, practical guidance on performing CPR and using a defibrillator.

Sheffield Paramedic Tristan Metcalfe and BBC Sport’s Sam Harris lead the instruction throughout, with graphic animations to augment the learning experience, whilst the inspiring story of survivor Alex Cowes is also included. At just 15, Alex, of York, suffered a cardiac arrest and was saved, thanks to the swift action of his teachers and the school nurse who knew what to do. 

The video also features a host of well-known figures, including stars from Leeds Rhinos, Sky Sports presenters, former Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Sally Ann Matthews and national go-karting champion Logan McAlister, all endorsing the training and advising anyone and everyone to learn these crucial skills.

Tristan said: “Knowing CPR is a tremendously valuable skill to have. It's really easy to learn and the impact you can have could literally be the difference between life and death for someone. We are really grateful to Dynamic for developing this fantastic video which shows just how straightforward it is to step in and make the difference in these situations where every second counts. I'm super proud to be part of helping others to learn this skill and of everyone who is getting involved with Restart a Heart Day. Together, we can help more people be confident to take action and potentially save a life.”

Chris Miall, Project Manager at Dynamic, said: “We're incredibly proud to have supported Yorkshire Ambulance Service in creating this vital educational resource. At Dynamic, we believe video has the power to make a real difference, and when we were approached to help with the Restart a Heart campaign, we knew immediately this was a cause we wanted to be part of.

“Working with Tristan, Sam, Alex, and the entire team to bring this project to life has been a privilege. We hope the video not only teaches life-saving skills to thousands of young people across Yorkshire and beyond, but also inspires confidence that anyone can step up and take responsibility in a critical moment. It's been a fantastic example of how our expertise in educational and healthcare video production can empower something truly meaningful - potentially helping to save more lives for years to come.”

On Restart a Heart Day (Thursday 16 October 2025), Yorkshire Ambulance Service will visit 180 secondary schools across the region and teach more than 40,000 students how to do CPR and use a defibrillator with new training video.

You can find other CPR training resources on our Restart a Heart website.