A first aid kit that could save the life of someone bleeding to death after a stabbing is due to be put up in Camden.

Let's Get Talking, a charity that educates young people about knife crime, is this week installing a 'bleed kit' in The Stables Market, in Chalk Farm, the first in the borough.

The kits, which contain a tourniquet, defibrillator and other life-saving equipment, are registered with the London Ambulance Service and their locations given to 999 phone operators.

Any caller in Camden reporting a stabbing or somebody bleeding heavily will be directed to the kit, or the closest kit if the numbers increase, and given a code that will open the box.

Ham & High: Sue Scott_Horne with her son Kane, whose charity enabled the first Bleed Kit to be placed in CamdenSue Scott_Horne with her son Kane, whose charity enabled the first Bleed Kit to be placed in Camden (Image: Let's Get Talking)

"It's new, people don't know about it. Everything it is fitted with saves lives," said Let's Get Talking founder Sue Scott-Horne.

 

"It's very noticeable. The big red box fits a defibrillator, to control a cardiac arrest, and tourniquets to stem a bleed. 

"It's vital because of knife crime; how many kids have we lost this year.. 16? 17?"

The Bleed Kits were founded by Sue's friend Lynne Baird, whose 26-year-old son Daniel was fatally stabbed in a pub in Birmingham in 2017.

Sue, who launched her charity in 2012, said she was "struggling" to grab the attention of Camden Council and Transport for London to help with her campaign after successfully raising £620 for the kit.

She contacted Holburn and St Pancras MP Sir Keir Starmer, which got the ball rolling and led to a meeting with LabTech, which runs The Stables Market.

Ham & High: The Emergency Bleed Control Kit could save the life of any youth who is stabbed, or anyone who is injured and bleeds profuselyThe Emergency Bleed Control Kit could save the life of any youth who is stabbed, or anyone who is injured and bleeds profusely (Image: Let's Get Talking)

Let's Get Talking continues to fundraise for bleed kits, which Sue wants outside all tube stations.

She said: "We need these kits everywhere. It's not just for stabbings, it might be an accident. People have accidents and bleed profusely, especially if it's an artery.

"They are so vital to stem that bleed and save that life."

The charity also needs to raise the £85 kit bags that go into the box, which can also be used separately.

She added: "Those of the kind of thing that are good in schools or pubs. Not the big box but the bag. We need it. We really need it."

Cllr Pat Callaghan, Camden's lead for safer communities, said: “It’s great to see initiatives such as this being driven by the community, and we fully support any activity that could help protect people and save lives.”