BleedKits was a project designed to train and upskill local young people in Croydon to deliver bleed control and first aid training in schools and community settings. Delivered in partnership with JFJ Foundation, TRUE Research and the Metropolitan Police, the project aimed to equip hundreds of young people with vital lifesaving skills, alongside the education needed to respond to serious youth violence through immediate first aid.

Many young people lack the knowledge and equipment needed to respond in the event of a critical injury or knife crime incident. BleedKits sought to empower young people to become leaders in their communities by raising awareness and delivering training on how to stop bleeds and administer first aid.

The project was inspired by personal tragedy. The founder of JFJ Foundation lost her brother, Jermaine Goupall, to knife crime in August 2007. Had a bleed kit been available in the shop where he ran for safety, he may have had crucial extra minutes to survive and reach the hospital. His story highlights the importance of accessible emergency care in critical moments.

Young leaders were embedded in the design and delivery of the programme, shaping training content and delivering first aid and bleed kit workshops to their peers across Croydon schools and youth services. Training was delivered to students at Riddlesdown Collegiate, Ark Blake Academy, and to young people living in supported accommodation through Evolve Housing.

The training led to significant improvements in both skills and confidence. Pre-session surveys showed that only 14% of participants felt confident they could use a bleed kit in an emergency; following the training, this rose to 95%.

The project culminated in the distribution of 22 bleed and first aid kits in crime hotspots across Croydon and South London, alongside 46 public access trauma first aid kits, ensuring that life-saving support is available when it is needed most.