Maria Matthews’ Mum has Type 1 Diabetes and her Dad has heart disease. So from a young age first aid has never been far from the forefront of Maria’s mind, and was the inspiration for Maria to begin teaching first aid. 

Maria runs Mini First Aid Nottingham and Chesterfield and is passionate about training parents, carers and children in basic and lifesaving first aid.

In Maria’s words:

“There have been a few close calls with my Mum in relation to her diabetes where from a young age, I thankfully knew how best to help her in a crisis. Communicating with your children about how they can help you in an emergency situation (especially if you have a life threatening chronic illness) is essential.”

Maria is an experienced Psychologist whose previous roles have always been focused on helping keep people safe and healthy. First Aid is no different, so being part of Mini First Aid is the perfect fit for Maria. With an eleven month old baby, Maria also understands the anxieties new parents may feel. Maria talks about the need to take the fear out of first aid:

“I want to help parents, grandparents and carers have the knowledge and skills to be able to protect their little ones, should the worst happen. I want to help parents enjoy the early weeks of their babies, so that they feel empowered and confident about how to keep them safe. I also want to give parents the confidence to wean their babies without feeling fearful.”