NORTHERN Ireland's Farm Family Key Skills first aid awareness training has gone online, so it can continue during lockdown.

Easily accessed via phone, tablet, laptop or PC from home or work, the FFKS training is free to farm families, and participating farm family members also receive a free first aid kit and reference booklet.

The course is delivered by Global Horizon Skills Ltd on behalf of CAFRE, and over 2300 farm family members have previously attended the face-to-face training, before Covid-19 led to a rethink on how to deliver the service, shifting it online via the Zoom programme since December. Feedback from participants has been excellent.

Mum of four Fiona said: “I have tried to do this course on quite a few occasions but having four kids I was very restricted when it came to getting babysitters. Zoom allowed me to be able to do this course from home. Knowing where the defibrillator is and how many lives it can save in itself was a real learning curve for me. Thank you all so much for this and all the great information has been priceless to say the least.”

Another participant, Catherine, added: “This is such a valuable course for farmers. This information is life saving and being able to avail of this course via Zoom is forward thinking in view of a lot of farmers being isolated because of Covid. All you need is a screen and the interactive videos were so easy to follow, anyone could use this technology and that is what it is all about, easy to access and the imparting of life saving skills.”

Farmer John agreed: “I found the course was excellent for me. I was particularly interested in the information on slurry mixing as I know that working with slurry is an extremely dangerous activity for farmers. I enjoyed the videos and liked the interactive part and was very pleased with my results.”

Further information on these first aid awareness courses is available on the CAFRE website at: www.cafre.ac.uk/farm-family-key-skills/first-aid-awareness/