Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership

11/10/2025

When a community comes together, amazing things can be achieved!

Another five bleed kits have been installed in Bath today thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of Emma Williams and the local community.

Emma, who is passionate about keeping her community safe, launched a GoFundMe page almost a year ago — and since then, over 70 bleed kits have been installed across Bath and the surrounding areas through the funds she and the community have raised.

Recently, a bleed kit was used in Bath to save a life following a crime-related incident, highlighting just how vital this equipment is. These kits are designed to provide immediate help in the moments that matter most — when every second counts.

Some of the newest kits have been installed at:
🩸 Apricot
🩸 Batheaston Village Hall
🩸 Riverside Youth Hub
🩸 Downside School

All kits are installed in visible, accessible, and unlocked cabinets, meaning there are no delays or codes needed in an emergency. Each kit is approved by the NHS and South Western Ambulance Service (SWAST) and contains essential medical equipment that can help save lives before emergency services arrive.

A huge thank you to Emma and to the people of Bath for their continued support and commitment to keeping their community safe. 💙

10/10/2025

💙 Saving Lives in the Crucial Minutes 💙

Dr Michael Marsh, NHS South West Medical Director, said:

“NHS ambulance crews and trauma teams do a great job when confronted with a patient who’s losing a lot of blood, but we wanted to go further in those crucial minutes when an ambulance was still on its way. That’s why we’re so pleased to fund bleed kits, so the police and community partners can get them to the right places to save lives – many of them young.”

These kits are installed in unlocked, immediately accessible dispensers, meaning no codes or delays — in the precious few minutes of a catastrophic bleed, every second counts. Having life-saving medical equipment instantly available ensures communities can act immediately and save lives before emergency services arrive. 🩸🚑

08/10/2025

07/10/2025

We’re in partnership with South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust who have endorsed, promote, map and provide expert guidance on our bleed kits and patient information card.

Our bleed kit is the only one in the South West to be mapped by SWAST and the Police.

Craig Wilkins, Specialist Paramedic in Critical Care at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are proud to be collaborating with the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership to make these essential kits more accessible in emergencies. At SWASFT, we are always looking for innovative ways to enhance patient care and strengthen our partnerships with other agencies. By supporting our call handlers to identify nearby kits, we can ensure that bystanders can quickly locate and use a bleed kit, providing potentially lifesaving assistance while awaiting an ambulance. When someone is bleeding heavily, phoning 999 and trying to stop the bleed is essential to help save their life. Knowing basic first aid can often make a big difference in the moments before an ambulance arrives on scene, and we would encourage everyone to learn these vital skills. Our call takers are trained to provide immediate advice and support to callers so they can administer first aid before medical help arrives. If a bleed kit is available nearby and someone can retrieve it, the call taker will direct them to its location and guide them through its use. This coordinated approach ensures that critical interventions can begin as soon as possible, improving patient outcomes in those crucial moments.”

Latest news

06/10/2025

05/10/2025

Frampton Cotterell Parish Council has facilitated the installation of two new emergency bleed kits, one at The Brockeridge Centre and another at The Pavilion.

These bleed kits can help anyone to give immediate and lifesaving help to a person suffering with severe bleeding from a traumatic injury. Access to bleed kits helps ensure that critical first aid can be carried out in those crucial minutes before emergency services can arrive at the scene.

The parish council would like to thank the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) for funding and FACE Charity Youth Group for assisting us in obtaining this life-saving equipment.

More information about this investment from the Parish can be foune found at https://framptoncotterell-pc.gov.uk/new-bleed-kits-at-brockeridge-and-the-pavilion/

Photo credit Frampton Cotterell Parish Council

04/10/2025

🚨 It’s incredibly disheartening when people vandalise or steal emergency life-saving equipment. These resources are in place to protect and save lives when every second counts.

If you have any information about this incident, please contact us directly or report it to the local authorities.

West Somerset and Taunton Neighbourhood Policing

We were disappointed to find that two public bleed kits in Bridgwater have been tampered with and emptied of their life-saving contents.

These kits are vital in emergencies, such as serious accidents or injuries and are designed to help save lives in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive.

When vandalised, they become useless at the very moment they’re needed most.

Bleed kits carry no monetary value, but their absence could cost a life.

If you see anyone interfering with a bleed kit, please report it immediately by calling 101.

03/10/2025

A potentially life-saving emergency bleed control kit has been installed outside Brook Way Activity Centre in Bradley Stoke, thanks to partnership working between Avon and Somerset Police, NHS England South West and HeartSafe.

The bleed kit, which is designed to control bleeding after someone suffers a traumatic injury, is one of almost 700 which are being installed on the side of existing HeartSafe defibrillators or on buildings across the Avon and Somerset police force area.

Photo credit : Bradley Stoke journal

03/10/2025

Avon and Somerset Police have agreed a legacy fund to ensure the ongoing management and replacement of Bleed Kits.

This is not a one-off, “fit and forget” tick-the-box provision. Instead, every kit is supported by a full management scheme that incorporates:

🩸 Regular Patrol Checks – all sites are monitored during routine local policing unit patrols.

🩸 Expiry Monitoring – partnership with HeartSafe to track items with expiry dates and prompt timely replacements.

🩸 Usage Alerts – HeartSafe notifies local policing teams immediately when a kit has been used.

🩸 QR-Enabled Replenishment – a quick scan system allows instant reordering of replacement kits in cases of use, theft, or tampering.

02/10/2025

Entry and exit routes around schools, colleges and universities can become incredibly busy.

That’s why we are reaching out to the local community, businesses and educational establishments to consider funding accessible bleed kits around school areas to ensure the emergency provision is there should it be required.

Please see the below poster and feel free to share it with your local school or education providers.

https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/bleed-kit-homepage/

01/10/2025

For emergency services, gaining the trust and support of local communities is essential. At The Blue Light Show 2025, Mike Vass, Chief Inspector at Avon & Somerset Police, shared a powerful example of what happens when communities are active partners in public safety.

With residents’ backing, more than 700 bleed control kits have been placed across the region. Already, nine lives have been saved. In one case, a single Bristol resident raised funds for 40 kits, surpassing what the local authority could provide.

The message was clear: when communities are engaged, the results go beyond policy or strategy. They lead to practical resources and lives saved.

👉 For more insights from our most popular sessions, as well as sector news, event updates, and exhibitor spotlights, sign-up to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eVcvwvbc

01/10/2025

Police Horses Windsor and Mendip 🐴 have been been familiarising themselves with local bleed kit sites, ensuring they're prepared to act swiftly in emergencies where someone might be losing critical amounts of blood.

Do you know where your nearest bleed kits are located? Find out by visiting: https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/bleed-kit-map/

Our Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership installs emergency bleed kits with 24/7 access within local communities. For more information on how to join the partnership, head to: https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/bleed-kit-homepage/