Pupils from a number of schools across Greater Manchester are going to be taught vital skills on how to potentially save the life of someone who is bleeding.

On the 26^th of April, Greater Manchester will pilot the country’s first ‘Stop the bleed’ day – a collaboration between Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit and first aid charity citizenAID.

The pilot will include fourteen schools from across Greater Manchester, with the training delivered to students in years six and seven. Students will learn how to identify a life-threatening bleed, how to apply pressure, pack a wound, and use a tourniquet.

A survey of 140 students undertaken as part of the project, revealed that only 10% of young people would be very confident in giving first aid to person who was bleeding, but 62% said they would like to learn more about how to stop a bleed.

Each school will be supported by volunteers including doctors, first aid trainers and personnel from the ambulance and fire and rescue services. Students will be shown an instructional film and practise what they have learned – improvising with everyday items that can be used to stop bleeding. The skills that young people will learn could be used in a number of scenarios including a stabbing, an accidental injury, a car accident or animal attack.

The VRU and citizenAID have worked closely with The Derby Academy in Bury to co-design the script for the film and test suitability for the audience. Young people from The Derby Academy even star in the film that will be shown across Greater Manchester.

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: “A priority for the VRU’s work is early intervention to prevent situations where a young person is harmed or bleeding because of a deliberate attack. But unfortunately there are situations when this does happen, and therefore it is vital that young people know how to act.

“Stop the bleed day will provide young people with necessary skills to act quickly when someone is severely bleeding, which could ultimately save their life.

“Greater Manchester are proud to be piloting this project with citizenAID and look forward to sharing learning and best practice, so that young people across the country can learn these important skills.”

Andy Thurgood, chairman and co-founder of citizenAID, said: “citizenAID has seen first-hand the positive impact of training children to save a life, our school educational material has been designed to engage all ages and has been hugely popular. As a charity we feel that ‘stop the bleed’ training is vital to help create a nation of future life-savers. I find it remarkable how receptive and resilient school children are and can only see the positive impact of endeavours such as stop the bleed day – lives will be saved.”

citizenAID will take learnings from the pilot in Greater Manchester, then roll ‘Stop the bleed’ day out nationally in 2024.

Find out more: https://stopthebleedday.uk/

Article posted on: 26/04/2023 03:04pm