Major residential property development company shortlisted for national award

Barratt Developments plc, the UK’s largest housebuilder, has been named as a finalist in the Organisation of the Year: High Risk category of the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes awards.

The property development company has been chosen as a finalist alongside other organisations that have demonstrated an outstanding level of provision and delivery of first aid, far exceeding the mandatory legal requirements, and will attend the exclusive awards ceremony at the Hilton London Bankside on 28 September.

Barratt Developments has nearly 400 live developments around the country employing around 23,500 people – both members of staff and sub-contractors. Of this total, an estimated 2,300 people working in various functions are first aid trained, along with many sub-contractors and nearly 190 members of staff in 28 divisional offices.

In addition, the company is installing nearly 430 defibrillators across all sites and offices, all of which are currently being recorded on the NHS database for future public use. The cost of these defibrillators on top of annual first aid training – on three-day and one-day courses, along with annual refresher courses – brought the company’s total spend on first aid in the last calendar year to nearly £600,000.

This commitment to first aid has produced positive outcomes, including a successful on-site resuscitation last year.

The annual Everyday Heroes Awards, supported by Laerdal, celebrates the nation's life savers, honouring community heroes, organisations and members of the public who have used first aid to help others or highlighted its importance.

The star studded awards will be hosted by TV presenter and best-selling author, Katie Piper.

Steven Boyes, Deputy Chief Executive at Barratt Developments, said: “Safety is our number one priority which is why we are investing in first aid training and the new defibrillators. By installing defibrillators at our developments we are making this life saving equipment easily accessible not only to our staff, but also to residents in the area should they ever need to use it.”

Jon Knight, Regional Director for St John Ambulance in the East, said: ‘Everyday Heroes is the very essence of what St John Ambulance is about – ordinary people doing extraordinary things through first aid. We believe that no one should suffer for a lack of first aid, and encourage organisations and individuals to learn first aid to make sure those who need first aid receive it, whatever the situation.’

If you have been inspired to learn first aid visit www.sja.org.uk to find out more.