HEARTSTART Malvern will be using this year’s World Restart a Heart Day to encourage more individuals and organisations to help their life-saving work.

It will be holding a business breakfast, two training sessions and a lunchtime presentation at the Mount Pleasant Hotel, Belle Vue Terrace, on Tuesday, October 16.

During one of the sessions, it is expected that Heartstart Malvern will train its 2,000th life saver.

As well as celebrating this major milestone, the charity, which was launched less than two years ago, will be installing its 15th public access defibrillator on the day.

Heartstart Malvern is aiming to install a total of 50 life-saving defibrillators around Malvern.

Richard Vakis-Low, the appeal founder, said: "Although we have got off to a great start with our life-saving campaign, we now need more support to keep the momentum going.

"We would like to invite any local businesses or other organisations who may be interested in to find out more about Heartstart Malvern, to join us at our lunchtime event.

"The event will be used to say thank you to many of the local organisations who have helped support our work over the last couple of years.

"There will be a number of short presentations to update our existing supporters on our progress so far.

"Hopefully, this will inspire other local businesses and organisations to consider supporting us going forward.

"If Heartstart Malvern can keep the momentum going, it will probably take us another couple of years to achieve our goal of installing 50 public access defibrillators and to have trained 10 per cent of the local population. This will significantly increase the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest in Malvern."

Anyone interested in attending the event should contact richardvakislowe@gmail.com or on 07716 345300 to reserve a place.

World Restart a Heart Day is a major campaign driven by the Resuscitation Council, the British Heart Foundation and other charitable organisations, to encourage more people to come forward to learn vital life-saving skills.