Abacus Training

09/12/2025

✨ Testimonial Tuesday ✨

There’s nothing better than receiving feedback that reminds us why we do what we do. Today’s Testimonial Tuesday comes from our recent FREC update course delivered to the incredible team at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in Stone.

Hearing how highly participants speak of our trainers— their knowledge, professionalism, and ability to make training both engaging and practical — truly means the world to us. We’re proud to support such dedicated professionals who serve their community every day.

A heartfelt thank you to the Stone crew for the kind words and for the vital work you do. Your feedback inspires us to keep raising the bar.

Here’s to more learning, more collaboration, and more great testimonials! 🚒📚💬

05/12/2025

Feedback Friday - Professionalism You Can Trust — Real-World Experience Makes the Difference!

At Abacus Training, we take pride in our professionalism. Every course we deliver is structured, thorough, and tailored to give learners the confidence they need to respond effectively in real-world situations. It is lovely to read learners comments in this light, especially this one from a FREC Update with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in Longton.

What truly sets us apart is the hands-on experience of our trainers. Many have worked in emergency services and high-pressure environments, bringing invaluable insight to every session. This practical expertise ensures our training isn’t just theoretical — it’s realistic, relevant, and immediately applicable.

Whether it’s a first aid course, FREC update, or team training, our approach combines professional standards with real-world knowledge. Learners consistently comment on how the trainers’ experience enhances understanding, builds confidence, and makes the training engaging and relatable.

At Abacus Training, professionalism isn’t just about delivering content — it’s about creating an environment where every learner feels prepared, supported, and ready to act.

📩 Book your course today and experience the difference professional, experienced trainers can make!

05/12/2025

As emergency responders, we meet people on their worst days—and one thing we’ve learned is this: everyone deserves to feel safe, heard, and respected, no exceptions.

That’s why the International Day of Persons with Disabilities means so much. It’s a reminder that emergencies aren’t equal for everyone. A loud, chaotic scene can be overwhelming for someone with sensory needs. Evacuations can be trickier for people with mobility challenges. Communication can take a little more patience and creativity.

And that’s okay—because it’s our job to adapt, not theirs.

For us at Abacus Training, this day is about slowing down, asking before acting, and remembering that the person—not the disability—comes first. It’s about making sure our first aid training and response plans actually work for everyone, not just the easiest cases.

Small changes make a huge difference: speaking clearly, checking in, giving options, respecting independence, and making sure our equipment and environments are as accessible as possible.

So today’s a great reminder for all of us: inclusion isn’t extra—it's essential. And the more we build it into our everyday practice, the safer and more supported our communities become.

04/12/2025

Spaces Still Available – EFAW Course on 19th December!

We still have places available on our next Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) open course, running on 19th December at the Abacus Training Centre in Blythe Business Park.

This one-day, fully accredited course is ideal for anyone needing essential first aid skills for the workplace. Whether you’re refreshing your knowledge or training for the first time, our experienced instructors will guide you through everything you need with confidence and practical, hands-on learning.

If you want to get certified before the new year, now is the perfect opportunity!

📅 Date: 19th December
📍 Location: Abacus Training Centre, Blythe Business Park
🪑 Availability: Limited spaces remaining

Get in touch to book your place today!

03/12/2025

❄️ Winter Safety Tips ❄️

Winter brings cold weather, shorter days, and slippery conditions — and with it, a higher risk of accidents. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe with these first-aid tips:

✅ Prevent slips & falls – Wear proper footwear and clear icy paths.
✅ Treat frostbite & hypothermia early – Warm the body gradually, avoid direct heat.
✅ Handle burns safely – Hot drinks, heaters, and fireplaces can cause scalds; run burns under cool water for at least 20 minutes.
✅ Stay prepared – Keep a stocked first-aid kit at home and in the car.

Being prepared and knowing basic first aid can make all the difference in winter emergencies. Look out for our featured posts for more information on these topics.

📩 Want to learn more? Join one of our first-aid courses and be ready for anything!

02/12/2025

🌟 Testimonial Tuesday at Abacus Training!

We’re loving the positive vibes from our FREC update course with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in Burton! Huge thanks to Blue Watch for making it such a fantastic session.

It’s always amazing to see teams engaged, confident, and enjoying the learning process — that energy makes our job so rewarding.

Ready for your next FREC update? Let’s make it just as positive and productive!

28/11/2025

Feedback Friday — We Love Hearing from You!

At Abacus Training, Feedback Friday is one of our favorite days of the week! It’s when we get to hear directly from our learners about their experiences and the impact of our training.

We’re thrilled to see that our hands-on, structured teaching style really benefits learners with dyslexia, helping them grasp skills confidently and effectively. It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do.

Recently, we ran a FREC3 assessment course with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue in Stone, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants praised our practical approach, clarity, and the way we make learning engaging and accessible for everyone.

At Abacus Training, your success is our reward — and Feedback Friday gives us the perfect chance to celebrate it together.

📩 Join us for your next course and see the difference yourself!

27/11/2025

🚑 First Aid Training for 2026 - Don't miss out!

Abacus Training is your trusted first aid training provider, offering practical, hands-on courses that build real confidence in emergency situations.

If you're thinking about signing up for Health & Safety training now is the perfect time to get in touch. We want to ensure that everyone gets a place that suits their schedule, but spaces are becoming limited. We’re now taking bookings for March & April 2026 — and spaces fill fast!

👉 Whether you need certification, a refresher, or team training, we’re here to help.
📩 Contact us today to chat about your training needs and secure your dates!

26/11/2025

🚨 Alarm Bells from HSE: Record Highs in Work-Related Mental Health Illness 🚨

New data from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) shows that in 2024/25, around 964,000 workers in the UK reported stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by work.

That’s more than half of all work-related ill health — and it translated to 22.1 million lost working days.

These are sobering figures. They point to a mental health crisis at work: stress is no longer a “nice-to-have” issue — it's the biggest driver of workplace illness. And it comes with a huge human and economic cost.

So, what can we do?

✅ First, tackle the root causes. Employers must assess stress risk just like any physical hazard.

✅ Second, build a culture of support: open conversations, real managerial backing, clear roles, and manageable workloads all help.

✅ Third, invest in Mental Health First Aid at Work. This training empowers colleagues to spot early signs of distress, offer support, and steer people to help before things escalate.

If you’re serious about reducing these numbers — building a resilient, mentally healthy team — give us a call - Abacus Training’s Mental Health First Aid is exactly what you need!

Let’s make mental health first aid an everyday priority, not an afterthought.

25/11/2025

Testimonial Tuesday: Why Learning Traumatic Bleed Control Matters

When a life-threatening bleed occurs, every second counts. Severe bleeding can lead to unconsciousness or death in as little as three to five minutes, long before emergency services can arrive. That’s why traumatic bleed control training is so important: it equips everyday people with the confidence and skills to take immediate, lifesaving action.

For this Testimonial Tuesday, we’re highlighting the incredible feedback from our recent Bleed Management Course at Normanton Park Community Centre. Participants told us how eye-opening the session was, how straightforward the techniques became once practised, and how much more prepared they now feel to respond in a real emergency. Please take a moment to read what our learners had to say ...

From applying effective pressure, to wound packing, to confidently using a tourniquet, bleed control training turns bystanders into capable responders. It transforms fear into focus, and uncertainty into action.

The message from our Normanton Park learners is clear: you don’t need medical training to save a life—just the right knowledge.

If you haven’t taken a bleed control course yet, there’s no better time. The life you save could be someone you care about.

24/11/2025

🚨 Don't let your workplace become a statistic! 🚨

The new HSE stats dropped last week and… whew, some big figures:

1.9M workers had work-related ill health

Nearly 1M struggling with stress, depression or anxiety

40.1M working days lost

680k non-fatal injuries

124 workplace fatalities

As emergency responders & a first aid training provider, these numbers hit hard. Every stat is a real person — someone who needed help, or someone who could have been helped with the right training, culture, and awareness.

And that’s exactly why Abacus Training exists.
✔️ We deliver practical, confidence-building First Aid at Work training
✔️ We support teams with mental-health awareness & MHFA sessions
✔️ We help workplaces build stronger safety cultures through real-world scenarios, responder insight, and hands-on skills

Whether you’re a small business or a big organisation, we can help your team stay safer, calmer, and more prepared — because everyone deserves to go home safe. 🦺💛

Read more: https://loom.ly/lAvLECs

21/11/2025

We often think of first aid as something for adults, but stories like seven-year-old Harry saving his classmate from choking remind us that life-saving skills have no age limit. Emergencies can happen anywhere — in a school hall, on a playground, or at home — and sometimes the nearest person who can help isn’t a grown-up, but another child.

Teaching young people first aid gives them confidence, awareness, and the ability to act quickly when seconds truly matter. Children are eager learners, and simple skills like recognising choking, using back blows, or knowing when to call for help are well within their reach. These lessons don’t just prepare them for emergencies; they build responsibility, resilience, and compassion.

When we invest in teaching first aid early, we create a generation of calm, capable lifesavers. And as Harry proved, even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference.What a heartwarming story! Harry’s story shows how vital first aid skills are, even for very young children. A simple technique he learned at Beavers helped him save a life — proving that emergencies can happen anywhere, and anyone, even a seven-year-old, can make a difference. It reminds us that learning basic first aid isn’t just useful, it’s essential. The more of us who know what to do, the safer our schools, homes, and communities become.

Read more: https://loom.ly/wxajAFo

Harry jumped into action when he realised his friend had a piece of sausage stuck in his throat.