A SHUT-down group that taught Sidmouth children first-aid skills has been resurrected.

A SHUT-down group that taught Sidmouth children first-aid skills has been resurrected.

St John Ambulance members in the town this week announced its junior section, the Badgers, will come back to life.

Youngsters, aged from five-years-of-age to 10, have been invited to join the group and benefit from a range of activities from next Friday.

The resuscitated St John Ambulance Badger Section will meet for the first time in two-and-a-half years on January 28 in the charity’s Blackmore Drive Hall from 6pm to 7pm.

It is hoped young first-aiders will carry on into the organisations cadets and then adult groups.

New leaders from Sidmouth have come forward to re-vitalise the Badger section.

“It’s an asset for the young people of Sidmouth and an asset for St John Ambulance,” said St John Sidmouth superintendent Brian Johansen. “The younger they have an interest the more likely they are to join the cadets and then the adults.

“The Badgers was closed around two-and-a-half-years ago because of lack of leaders and children numbers.

“We decided to re-launch them to try and interest young children in St John activities. “We have three new young leaders, all members of St John, and a free evening on a Friday which we didn’t have before.”

Children can learn from 15 modules on subjects ranging from first-aid to safety in the home. All three new leaders are from the town and former St John cadets.

Children can enrol on the night next Friday.

Anyone interested in the group can contact Brian on 07799667951.