Brilliant. Intuitive. Refreshing. Engaging. FUN!

I’ve just returned from a 2-day Outdoor Emergency First Aid course with Andy Sullivan. I could list the numerous life-saving techniques I have learnt in the last 2 days, but the most important takeaway is Andy’s ability to inspire confidence in your abilities. His evidence-based approach instils the belief that just being on the scene and carrying out the basics could be the difference between life or death for someone. That confidence in your own abilities is vital in these situations.

No complex numbers or particular order of how to do things, Andy goes into the biology of what we do giving you a far better understanding of why we do it.

I’ve been on first aid courses before, which are primarily PowerPoint-based with some mannequin work, but this was next level. Real, acted-out scenarios with prosthetics and make-up and discussions after each scenario about how the teams tackled it. This really allows you to understand potential situations far more accurately than just looking at a slide.

Andy has years of real-life experience and the outdoor environment we trained in added to the authenticity and memorability of the situations we encountered. He tells of his own experiences to make everything relatable.

He is genuinely a top guy with a natural aptitude for passing on his knowledge and skillsets.

It was also a great team bonding exercise for my colleagues and me; everyone had a fantastic time.
(I’m sure the sunshine helped as well!)

I cannot recommend this course highly enough. It was the best course I’ve attended.

Thanks, Andy.

All the best!

17th June 2025

A truly unique and exceptional course. Andy, Sean and Rob were all highly experienced, highly credible and highly effective trainers. The most realistic practical scenarios I’ve ever seen and so many tips for pragmatic first aid. Really inspiring. Thanks guys, so impressed.

17th June 2025

“A thoroughly practical day, interspersed with very relevant background, theory and detail. Andy Sullivan’s depth of experience, his wide knowledge and personable style, coupled with staged outdoor scenarios with a live ‘patient’ acting out symptoms with realistic-looking wounds/injuries, made the content compelling. The day left me feeling equipped with the knowledge and confidence to deal with situations that might arise, wherever they might be. An outstanding course that I would wholeheartedly recommend: a day very well spent.”

9th June 2025

I just wanted to write and say thank you so much for a really interesting, engaging and informative two days doing the outdoor first aid course. Of all the first aid courses I’ve done this has left me the most enthused and empowered to feel like I know what I need for my first aid kit and what help I can provide in the unfortunate event of needing to give first aid.

The way the two of you brought scenarios to life with very realistic acting and props, whilst talking through processes clearly and inviting group interactivity has really helped those all important messages and knowledge sink in. I really appreciated hearing you’re real life stories as well.

One particular element that I was impressed with was your focus on mental health throughout the course. It is the first, first aid course I have done where the mental health impact on both the victim of an event and particularly yourself as first aider has been thought about and the suggestions you gave for managing this were both practical and thoughtful.

I also especially appreciated how relaxed the course was in terms of not stressing about detailed technique because that is not realistic. The learn and evaluate as we go approach really made me feel at ease and because I wasn’t stressing about being ‘tested’, it made me more open to absorbing the information and more confident to engage.

Finally and on a more personal note, I am so glad I was doing your course as my first two days away from my 10 month old baby. Honestly, I was dreading it, but given all of the above – the relaxed atmosphere, how engaging and interactive the content was – I couldn’t have asked for a more positive distraction. And I am now really excited to share this knowledge and skills with my son when he is a little older. Thank you for being so caring and empathic to this particular circumstance throughout the course.

Fantastic! The trainers are amazing, really knowledgeable and make the training fun and informative. Would highly recommend! The best first aid course I’ve been on.

A massive Thank you to Andy & Shaun for delivering such a fantastic first aid course! Very practical, hands on approach which I felt was a perfect way to soak up all of the information on the course! I’ve come away confident that I can apply what I’ve learnt in a real life situation! I will definitely be booking with Andy & Shaun in the future! Thank you again guys was a really enjoyable 2 days!

12th March 2025

I think that I first attended one of Andy’s Outdoor First Aid courses twelve years ago (but it might have been 15) and I’ve been back every three years since because, quite simply, he’s the best around. I’ve been on many other first aid courses over the last 30+ years in order to keep my mountaineering instructor’s ticket valid and nowhere else have I found anything approaching Andy’s ideal mix of no nonsense, practical guidance, sensible, well-informed feedback and realistic learning scenarios.

Not someone to waste time with purposeless advice about the correct way to fold triangular bandages, he deals with the key skills needed to cope with a full range of problems (from anaphylaxis and hypothermia to severed arms) using realistic simulations which stretch those on his courses without embarrassing them. See you again in another three years!

12th March 2025

I’ve been on quite a few first aid courses over the years. The ELST course is like no other. Andy & Sean are imaginative as well as authoritative and put everything into making this training unforgettable. I almost can’t wait until my certificate is up for renewal.

This is by far the best first aid training out there!

I myself come from an emergency services background and found it to be a very engaging and interactive course, that taught first aid in an exciting and refreshing way.

Highly recommend!

During my 30 year career as a police officer, and as a keen mountain trekker, I have had to apply my first aid knowledge on a number of occasions for real. I have recently completed the two day ‘Outdoor First Aid’ course with Andy and Sean, and I wish that I’d had this particular input years ago. The manner in which the training is delivered is wholly professional, practical and easy to remember, yet relaxed and enjoyable. Even with the course being ‘Covid compliant’ there is still good opportunity to practice the skills taught. This was probably the best first aid training I have received. If you need an Outdoor First Aid qualification, I recommended ELST.

10th June 2020

9th June 2025