Pupils trained to use life-saving bleed kits

The sister of a man who died after being stabbed on a night out has been training pupils to use life-saving bleed kits installed in Wolverhampton secondary schools.

Holly Baird, from the Daniel Baird Foundation, spoke to pupils at Smestow Academy in the city and hopes her family's campaign to deliver and demonstrate bleed kits in schools will save lives.

Her brother, 26-year-old Dan, suffered fatal stab wounds during a dispute outside the Forge Tavern in Digbeth, Birmingham, in July 2017.

"The chances are one of the children in this class will use what they have learned, whether that be on a violence-related injury or an accident," she said. "I love to see young people engaged and listening."

Carlton Donaldson, 24, was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison for Baird's murder.

Wolverhampton West MP Warinder Juss recently completed a project to ensure schools in his constituency had access to one of the devices.

He also called for the kits to be installed in every secondary school in England.

The Labour MP met pupils as they received training to use the medical equipment, which costs £109 per kit.

He told the BBC: "The cost should not be preventative. If you look at what it can achieve, it can save a life. I hope that the Department for Education can see what we've done in Wolverhampton West and have that introduced nationally."

Sienna Ahir, 17, from Daggers Down, an anti-knife crime campaign, raised funds towards the cost of the bleed kits installed in Wolverhampton West.

"Hearing stories like [Holly's] shows that mentorship is a really important part of prevention," she said.

"A lot of young people would like to see more mentorship, from not just victims but also perpetrators of knife crime, to get prevention [instilled] in them."

Year 8 pupil Freya said hearing Holly Baird's experience had an impact on her.

"It makes you realise how important it is for you to have something like that, so you can save someone else's brother or sister."

Her classmate, Jeffrey, said he felt more confident after handling the tourniquet.

"I got to try the bleed kit. Hopefully I don't have to do it when I grow up," he said.

Amy Heilbronn, assistant headteacher at Smestow Academy described the training as "a fantastic opportunity", empowering pupils to help others in distress.

The Department for Education told the BBC: "Schools already have clear legal duties to provide first aid equipment under health and safety regulations. We've also made first aid part of the statutory curriculum since 2020."

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.