Here are some of our team members - more members will be added soon!
David Williamson
Founder & Instructor
David is the Coordinator & Founder of the Meon Valley Heartstart Team. A retired Paramedic Officer and Trainer, David worked for the NHS Ambulance Service for 33 years. David also started one of the first Community First Responders Schemes in Hampshire.
David has experienced all operational emergency situations that are covered on the Heartstart courses.
Steve Smallwood
Founder & Instructor
Steve was a Medical Registrar during his training as a Doctor and he led the 'crash team' responding to cardiac arrests in hospital. He also has been a Children's Registrar giving him practical skills in paediatric emergencies.
He later became a GP and was involved in regular updates in resuscitation and was part of the 'Hampshire Immediate Care Scheme', which enhanced his resuscitation skills. As such he was also used by the Ambulance Service to attend road accidents and providing Urgent Medical Treatment at the scene of various Medical Emergencies, alongside Ambulance Paramedics.
On retiring as GP Steve became one of the Founding Members of Meon Valley Heartstart and one of our long standing and well respected Instructors.
Janice Romer
Instructor
Janice worked for the NHS for 34 years, initially as a Dietitian then Managing Mental Health, learning Disability and Substance Misuse Services in Portsmouth. Although now retired, Janice remains very active as a volunteer, helping with many organisations, including “Homestart” and working with young families.
Janice was a Community First Responder for 8 years and dealt with a number of Medical Emergencies before the Ambulance Service arrived. She has been a Meon Valley Heartstart instructor for a number of years and particularly enjoys teaching young children lifesavings skills.
Gerald Pilkington
Instructor
Prior to becoming a trainer with Meon Valley Heartstart in 2017, Gerald had been a member of St John Ambulance for 42 years, during which time he had been, amongst other roles, a first aid instructor and examiner, and a volunteer emergency ambulance crew for both St John and London Ambulance Service in Kingston upon Thames through St John.
Since moving to Petersfield Gerald was a Community First Responder for South Central Ambulance Service for almost a year before joining MVHS. He continues to be an accredited first aid instructor for adult and paediatric first aid certificated courses.
Geraint Morton
Instructor
Geraint is a Consultant Cardiologist working full time for the NHS at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. He has over 20 years’ experience in dealing with medical emergencies including heart attacks and cardiac arrest. Geraint enjoys teaching and is a medical trainer.