• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Folk Features HomepageFolk Features

Uplifting stories for Norfolk and Suffolk

  • Home
  • Events
  • Columnists
  • About
  • Key Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Press Pause
Home » FEELGOOD FOLK » From first class to first aid

From first class to first aid

May 5, 2022 Leave a Comment

Rachael Karakanna is a former cabin service supervisor for Virgin Atlantic – until the pandemic brought her back down to earth. Rachael explains why she is putting her in-depth knowledge of first aid at 38,000 feet to good use on the ground

Like many of us, my world was turned upside down with the Covid-19 pandemic. I was a Cabin Service Supervisor for Virgin Atlantic Airways and had been for the past 21 years. I was furloughed in March 2020. I was worried about the uncertainty of the situation, but I was still getting paid and home schooling kept me busy. Unfortunately, in July, with the world and the travel industry at a standstill, I found out I would be made redundant.

Rachael Karakanna, former cabin service supervisor for Virgin Atlantic Airways

As cabin crew, I was required to have an in-depth knowledge of first aid; after all, we can’t call the emergency services at 38,000 feet. This knowledge was tested many times over the years, leaving me with a fair bit of hands-on experience as a first aider. After having a family (my son is now eight, and my stepsons are seven and 13) I was yearning to be at home more, and the idea of teaching others the first aid skills that I had acquired in the skies, appealed to me.

I had planned to train as a first aid instructor and build a client list gradually alongside my job. But now I had a decision to make. Would I invest my redundancy into the training and start a business from scratch, during a worldwide pandemic? Or should I put that dream on hold and get another, more stable job? I decided to follow my dream, which scared the hell out of me, and set up First Class First Aid Ltd in September 2020.

Rachael, teaching First Class First Aid (picture credit: emmacullenphotography.com)

It was a tough first year, and I wondered if I’d made the right decision more than a few times. We weren’t prepared to lose my wage, but we made sacrifices and I sold my car to keep going. I’ve had to learn so much about running a business along the way (I’m still learning every day!) but I love what I do. The business is growing steadily, and I’m now proudly teaching first aid in a variety of ways. I teach workplace qualification courses, informal classes for parents and carers and classes for children. I also teach first aid classes for Norwich parents-to-be at Bump & Baby Club antenatal group.

As well as teaching through my own company, I freelance for Mini First Aid Norfolk and this year I joined Norfolk County Council as a Paediatric Tutor, teaching free classes to parents and carers in libraries and community centres across Norfolk. Going from cabin crew to business owner has been quite the journey.

Visit First Class First Aid

Filed Under: FEELGOOD FOLK

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Support Folk Features

By subscribing to our newsletter and donating when you are able, you help ensure we can continue to bring you good news stories without the annoying ads.

Subscribe
Donate

Primary Sidebar

Join Folk like you

Get good news stories delivered to your inbox

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Thrive by the sea June 23, 2025
  • Finding a career in care June 20, 2025
  • A (not so) coming-of-age story June 19, 2025
  • Charity supporter made MBE in King’s Birthday Honours June 18, 2025
  • Why Chris hopes to walk ’50k in a day’ June 17, 2025

Archives

Support Folk Features

By subscribing to our newsletter and donating when you are able, you help ensure we can continue to bring you good news stories without the ads.

Subscribe
Donate

Footer

  • About Folk Features
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

KEY PARTNERS:

Copyright © 2025 · Folk Features · All Rights Reserved