AJUDA MD DAWN Evans is celebrating again after winning Educator Award at this year’s Inspire Wales Awards.
Dawn picked up the accolade at a glittering ceremony in Cardiff after beating off stiff competition to take the honour.
The award is the latest recognition for Dawn and Ajuda, after she set up the company four years ago after her daughter choked on a sweet. She realized that if she hadn’t had essential first aid skills her daughter could have died.
More importantly, the mothers with her that day said that they wouldn’t have known what do if it was their child.
Dawn became a first aid trainer and started teaching first aid to mothers, teachers, crèche assistants, schools and colleges.
Ajuda also works in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, and last year Dawn set up Heartstart Cardiff.
The programme provides free first aid training to school children, and community organisation across the Welsh capital.
This is something Dawn is passionate about as her father suffered a cardiac arrest in January 2013.
“My father is alive today because my mother performed CPR on him, keeping him alive until a defibrillator was in place. My father is a survivor because of first aid training, “ she said.
Ajuda has worked with a variety of organisations in recent years, including local charities, local authorities, schools and the local community.
Dawn has been able to offer work placements to Cardiff Metropolitan University students, work experience to clients supported by the Shaw Trust, and provided employment to graduates through the Go Wales and Jobs Growth Wales programmes.
Ajuda has had rapid growth and now runs more than 50 different health and safety-related courses, many from the Ajuda Training Academy in Cardiff Bay.
From here businesses, local authorities, charities, other organisations, and members of the public can book a course of their choice, taught by one of the more than 30 professional trainers on Ajuda’s books.
In addition to her role as Ajuda MD, Dawn is also a Role Model for the Welsh Government Big Ideas Programme, and a business mentor for The Prince’s Trust.
To learn more about Ajuda and the training courses that the company provides, visit www.ajuda.org.uk
http://www.clickonwales.org/2014/06/honouring-inspiring-people-across-wales/