Founder, Richard Donnelly
MSc & PGCE
With an extensive 30-year career in training and education, he has a deep passion for First Aid training in sports, education, and the wider business sector. Fully qualified, accredited, and industry-insured, Enhanced DBS.
Education and Training Experience: Manchester United Football Club Pre-Academy Manager, Professional Game-League Football Education Consultant, Welsh & English Football Associations – First Aid Instructor, Wider-Education Consultant, Welsh Football Association National Scout, Professional Coach over 25 years of classroom teaching experience.
Whilst traveling in August 2018, my family and I experienced one of the largest earthquakes to hit Bali in the past 100 years. It was a life (and career) changing experience. We saw local communities devastated, with substantial loss of life. We met inspirational disaster relief helpers, medics health workers, and volunteers in the worst affected areas. In all our conversations with volunteers entering the earthquake zone, what struck us was the importance of basic first aid skills and the willingness to help.
Thanks to the power of Facebook, we were able to raise enough money to fill two trucks with first aid supplies, food, water, essential baby supplies, hygiene products, and shelter materials. Enabling a local charity to support two villages for almost a month.
During the aftermath of the earthquake, everyone we spoke to had similar questions: What can we do? How can we help? How can I help my child cope if someone is taken seriously ill or injured? For my wife and I, the most powerful question was: How can we help everyday people know what they can do to help in an emergency?
As a longstanding First Aider in both education and sports, I have been the first responder at several medical emergencies. In Bali, I came to understand that even the most basic of first aid skills can be used in emergencies! Our experiences in Bali were also a powerful reminder that health and happiness are paramount, and the ability to make a difference in a community is drastically more rewarding than a career motivated by status and money.
On returning to the UK, I immediately left my job as the Head of Pre-Academy at Manchester United Football Club and founded FAC+T First Aid Training: providing adults and children with the skills that can save lives.
From personal experience…you never know when these skills could be used!
