NOMINATIONS are now open for the Worcestershire Education Awards celebrating individuals and groups that make a difference in the education of young people across the county.

Last year, Heartstart Malvern won the Community Involvement Award for their role in bringing defibrillators to the area.

The charity, run entirely by volunteers, campaigns for defibrillator machines to be put in public places and also provides training to residents and groups in the region.

Richard Hartley, from Heartstart, said: “Our main goal is to improve survivability in incidents of cardiac arrest so that more people are alive when the ambulance gets to them.

“The main work of the charity is to ensure that defibrillators are placed in as many areas as possible but also to give people the training and the confidence to use them when they have to.

“A lot of people are scared that they will accidentally shock someone but the devices will not let that happen. They do not shock people if it is not necessary to do so.

“Since we won the award, the charity has expanded and we are training more people than ever. There are only 14 of us so to be able to train so many people is quite an achievement.

“We are very grateful to all of the volunteers who give up their time to deliver the training as it could save someone’s life one day.”

The deadline for nominations is April 18. Finalists are chosen by a panel of judges and winners are announced during an awards ceremony at the University Arena on June 20.

For more information about the Worcestershire Education Awards or to nominate someone, go to worcesternews.co.uk/awards/worcestershire_education_awards