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It’s not quite a heat wave but with temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius expected in the next few days, most of the UK can look forward to a sizzling weekend of sun-filled joy. There will be water fights. The sun is here.

But before you dig out that reggae compilation or dust down your flip-flops, have a think about safety. We all know it’s important to keep well hydrated and slap on sun protection cream, but would you know what do if someone had heat exhaustion or heat stroke?

If not, don’t worry – there’s no need to dive under the parasol just yet. Here are our handy first aid tips on staying safe in the heat.

Heat exhaustion

In hot weather, the body sometimes produces more heat than it can cope with. This leads to excessive sweating and a loss of salt and water from the body. When this happens, casualties will likely suffer from headaches, dizziness and nausea.

Treatment

• Help the casualty to a cool, shady place. Get them to lie down and raise and support their legs to improve blood flow to brain.
• Give them plenty of water to drink. Oral rehydration salts or isotonic drinks will also help.
• Monitor and record their vital signs – level of response, breathing, pulse etc.
• If their vital signs worsen, call 999/112 for emergency help.

Heatstroke

This is more serious. When the body becomes dangerously over-heated, your brain’s ‘thermostat’ can malfunction and lose the ability to regulate body temperature. Heatstroke can develop with little warning – casualties often cease sweating and can lose consciousness within minutes, so you’ll need to react quickly.

Treatment

• Quickly move the casualty to a cool place and remove as much outer clothing as possible. Call 999/112 for emergency help.
• Help the casualty sit down and wrap them in a cold, wet sheet until their temperature falls to 38 degrees under the tongue or 37.5 degrees under the armpit. Keep pouring cold water over the casualty or sponge them with cold water.
• Once their temperature is normal, replace the wet sheet with a dry one.
• Monitor and record their vital signs – level of response, breathing, pulse etc. If the temperature rises again, repeat the cooling process.

And if those tips didn’t quench your thirst for first aid knowledge, tomorrow is #Friday1staid so check our Twitter feed for more tips on sun safety. So whether you find yourself chilling in a paddling pool, perched on a donkey or furiously willing a disposable barbecue to heat up, enjoy the sun and stay safe. Now where did I put that beach ball?

A new survey has shown the average Brit suffers an astonishing 9,672 ailments,sicknesses and injuries in their lifetime. Suddenly I don’t feel so well.

Across the average 78 year lifespan, we’re each likely to endure 780 sore backs, 858 headaches and 2,808 bumps and bruises.

Those who enjoy going for a bracing walk can look forward to 156 blisters and 234 insect bites before eventually taking their final step. And if you’re thinking it might be safer to just stay indoors, think again: statistically speaking, you’re in for 234 paper cuts, 156 burns and 78 electric shocks.

We’ll also face 78 nosebleeds (though hopefully not all in the same week) and 156 cases of ear ache.

Even just the annual figures in the survey, conducted by Benenden Healthcare Society, are enough to make you queasy. Check these out:

But it’s not all doom and gloom. As Joe Mulligan, the Red Cross’ resident first aid guru points out: “Most of these injuries are pretty minor and, with just a little knowledge, you can easily treat them yourself.

“Common injuries – such as cuts, nosebleeds, burns, and strains and sprains – don’t require complicated treatment and you learn all you need to know in minutes with our Everyday First Aid resource.”

One entertaining side-effect of the survey has been the revelation of how impressively clumsy British people are. Half of us have banged our head on a car, almost half have done that delicious trick of stepping barefoot on a plug and – bizarrely – a quarter of us have gone to sit down and completely missed their seat. It would seem we’re a nation of Mr Beans.

So my advice is to spend a few minutes learning the first aid basics.

And given you can expect to encounter three hospital visits, two surgeries, two ankle sprains and a broken bone during your lifetime, finding a bit of ‘down’ time shouldn’t be that difficult.

When I was little, I used to accompany my mother as she shook a collecting tin during various charities’ flag weeks. I remember enjoying it, as we always saw lots of friendly faces and I was happy to be part of Mum’s fundraising efforts.

With this in mind I asked Sam, my five-year-old son, if he wanted to come and help me collect for Red Cross Week last weekend. He seemed pretty keen, so we off we went to our local high street in Chesham, armed with our collecting box and stickers.

Having confused him in the past with explanations of what the Red Cross does, this time I kept it simple: “We’re raising money so the Red Cross can help people.”

“So do we get to keep the money?”

“What do you think?”

Point taken.

We took up our position next to the market. As he is under 16, Sam’s not allowed to hold a collecting box. So it was his job to say ‘thank you’ and give out the stickers. He looked up and down the street hopefully. “Why hasn’t anyone given us any money yet?” he asked, after precisely thirty seconds.

But soon the coins started to jingle into our box. “One, two, three…” Sam counted as people came over to make their donation. He gave up after five, but seemed pleased with his job of giving out the stickers. He even remembered to say ‘thank you’.

I was also happy to be there. I usually feel a bit self-conscious when collecting, but Sam’s company made the time pass quickly. And Chesham’s residents were generous. A couple of people put tenners in the box. One nice man said he’d found £10 the day before and decided to give it to the next charity collector he saw.

After an hour, Sam was getting restless. When he started performing acrobatics on a traffic barrier and striking monster and alien poses, I decided it was time for his Dad to come and pick him up. I stood there for another half an hour but have to admit, it wasn’t nearly as much fun.

In total, we raised £53.64 – not bad for an hour and half’s volunteering.

Read about other ways people have been raising money for Red Cross Week.

Find ideas for fundraising with children.

Find other fundraising ideas.

©Finnish Red Cross/ Mr. Andrej

The Kenya Red Cross is managing Ifo II West refugee camp in Dadaab and providing essential health and nutrition services, psycho-social support, security training and hygiene promotion services in Ifo II East. At the request of the UN Refugee Agency it is also taking on other health, water and sanitation services that were previously provided by other agencies.

The photo gallery below shows some of the health and sanitation work the Red Cross is carrying out in Dadaab.

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© Sarah Oughton/BRC

When I met the ever-smiling Nkhetheng in a kitchen in Pokane, in the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho, he was leading a group of villagers in some exquisite harmonies which filled the room alongside the fragrance of chutneys, pickles and jams which they were making as they sang.

Nkhetheng Pitso, 55, is married with ten children and knows all about the struggle to grow food in Lesotho’s challenging climate. This is his story:

“When I was younger I worked in the mines, but I came home in 2004. Now I’m a farmer, but at first it was difficult to feed my family. I used to try gardening but the crops would die, as I didn’t have the skills I have now. But things changed after I got involved with the Red Cross in 2008.

“The Red Cross officer encouraged unity in the village and I started volunteering because I was nominated by my community. I was taught about growing vegetables and now I give advice to others. Being a volunteer has boosted my confidence and I feel honoured in the village. We now have food to eat and before we struggled in the community. Now we can help each other.

“We were given seeds and the gardening is now very successful. We were also given water containers and taught to capture and store rainwater to use during droughts.

“Most of the community members are very poor, even me, but we know we will definitely get vegetables from my garden, such as spinach, radish, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes and pumpkins. Now I can grow vegetables all year round and sell some to meet other family needs. But I just give vegetables for free to those in my village who don’t have the money.

© Sarah Oughton/BRC

“In 2009, the Red Cross taught us to preserve food. Before that I only knew to preserve peaches and didn’t have so many recipes.

“I would love to open a restaurant but buying the utensils would be expensive. My children are so impressed by my skills and always recommend my food. I’m often asked to cook for people’s funerals.

“In February 2011, I was diagnosed with TB, but I wasn’t shocked because I had been in Red Cross workshops where I was taught about TB, so I knew I could get cured. As soon as I had some signs I went straight to the clinic.

“The Red Cross care facilitator was very close to me and my family, giving us support. She always came to check I was taking the medicine properly and I was still very active while taking the treatment, which I completed in July 2011.

“I was also tested for HIV and my wife too but we don’t have it, although many people in the community have been affected by HIV. Before, people were very ill but since the Red Cross came there are no longer bedridden people, all are living a better life and we are learning about HIV prevention.

“I’ve always loved for my children to be educated and now I work hard around here to pay for school fees so they can have a better future. I’d love my family to have peace and happiness and I’m doing what I can to make sure they get what they need so they are not sad.”

Read more stories from our HIV programme