Student inspired to learn life-saving skills after tragic murder

Phoebe Lago-Willetts, aged 16 from Walsall, is determined to ensure students learn vital life skills they might need outside of school – now more than ever.

On the evening of James Brindley's tragic death, four schoolboys on their way home from their prom attempted to try and help with the situation but sadly they could do nothing to save the 26 year old from Aldridge.

After hearing about this, Phoebe realised she would not know what to do if she found herself in an emergency situation and enrolled Busy Bees Training course to learn.

Following her training, the teenager, who attends Birmingham Ormiston Academy, wanted to inspire other young people to do the same.

She is using her position as a panel of her school council to push for students to learn essential skills required in everyday life-including how to administer first aid which could potentially save a life.

She said: “After attending the course last week, I’m now more passionate than ever about encouraging others to improve their first aid knowledge.

"You never know when you will be faced with a situation that requires first aid, and I firmly believe that everyone should have some basic knowledge, which can be the difference between saving a life or not.

“I also regularly assist young children at my local Stage Coach class so having some form of first aid knowledge puts my mind more at ease, should there be a medical emergency.”

Fay Gibbin, Training Manager at Busy Bees Training, who welcomed Phoebe onto the two-day course, said:

“Phoebe has managed to turn an awful incident into something very positive for her local community and she should be very proud of herself.

"Whether it be an adult or child, at Busy Bees Training, we have been championing the importance of first aid for many years and it’s great to see how passionate Phoebe is too about ensuring all teenagers have some form of basic first aid knowledge."