Over the past two years the Westcountry Ambulance Service has trained 10,000 people in Devon and Somerset in life-saving skills under the Heartstart initiative, which is co-ordinated by the British Heart Foundation.
Courses for groups of six or more are available free of charge from the service whose own paramedics carry out the local training and provide the equipment.
Heartstart UK, which promotes and develops emergency life support training throughout the country, has just celebrated its 500th scheme and in the last year alone 125,000 people received training through Heartstart.
Trainees have used their skills many times to help people who are choking, having heart attacks, cardiac arrests or in other life-threatening situations until ambulance personnel arrive on the scene.
Someone in the UK has a heart attack every two minutes and with a person there who can recognise the symptoms and take the right steps, the chances of recovery are much higher.
Spokesman for the Westcountry Ambulance Service Darren Gibson said anyone could book a course, they just had to have a minimum of six people who wanted to participate and a venue.
'There is no maximum limit and there is a trainer for every six people,' he said.
'The course covers basic lifesaving such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, heart massage, how to stop bleeding and deal with severe burns — all the information you need to stabilise someone until ambulance personnel arrive.'
Shebbear Young Farmers are holding a course in Shebbear Village Hall on March 7 at 7.30pm. If you are interested in booking a place telephone Becky Ley 01409 601333.
A course is also being held by Halwill WI in Halwill Parish Hall on June 7. Telephone Pat Dean on 01409 221937 to book a place.
To find out more about setting up a local Heartstart scheme call the British Heart Foundation on 020 7487 9419.