Burt Trains As Community First Responder

12.55.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Jul 2008

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt has accepted a challenge by West Midlands Ambulance Trust's Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh and will train to become a Community First Responder.

Mr Marsh laid down the challenge after Mr Burt wrote to him calling on the Trust to help train more volunteer Community First Responders to help save lives in the remote rural areas of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The Chief Executive said the Ambulance Trust would continue its efforts to recruit and train more volunteers, but extended the invitation to recruit and train Mr Burt in order to demonstrate "real local leadership in your own community."

Richard Burt said: "I decided to take up the challenge straight away because it will help show that I am serious about increasing Community First Responder cover for the two counties and it may give me the opportunity one day to help save someone's life.

"In the past I have by chance been first on the scene at quite serious road accidents and so I know how important those vital first minutes are.

"I believe the training will be six or seven days over a series of weekends, and I am really looking forward to it."