Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Restart a Heart Day initiative wins Yorkshire Choice Award

Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Restart-a-Heart Day initiative has scooped the Kate Granger* Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2026 Yorkshire Choice Awards which celebrated the people, businesses, charities and organisations making a real difference across Yorkshire.

Each story shared through the awards reflected the strength, generosity and spirit of Yorkshire, from businesses and organisations going the extra mile to volunteers, fundraisers, community groups and individuals creating lasting impact.

Since 2014, Restart a Heart Day has delivered lifesaving CPR training to more than 311,000 young people across Yorkshire secondary schools, equipping them with the skills and confidence to save a life through CPR and the use of a defibrillator. Delivered entirely by the Trust’s staff, volunteers and partners who give their time freely each year, the campaign has become a powerful example of community action and public service and it has helped increase Yorkshire’s bystander CPR rates by 35%, saving countless lives. 

Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Campaigns Manager Louise Boyes and Community Engagement Manager Jason Carlyon received the award on behalf of the hundreds of YAS staff and volunteers who give up their own time to teach life-saving CPR on Restart a Heart Day every year.

*In 2011, a devastating diagnosis turned Dr. Kate Granger’s world upside down. As both a doctor and a patient, Kate was confronted with terminal cancer. However, adversity often reveals the strength of the human spirit, and in Kate's case, it unveiled an undying resolve to initiate positive change. Despite her personal battles, 2013 saw the launch of her 'Hello My Name Is' campaign, a movement focusing on compassionate patient care. This campaign serves as a beacon of empathy and communication in the medical community and beyond.

Tragically, in 2016, Kate's journey came to an end. Yet, her legacy endures powerfully. Kate’s life, though short, was saturated with purpose, passion, and an unwavering dedication to bettering the lives of those around her.