Merseyrail teams up with Knifesavers to install bleed control kits throughout city region’s rail network

A woman whose brother was stabbed to death more than 20 years ago is using the campaign she founded in his honour to work with Merseyrail and introduce life-saving bleed kits throughout the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, and Manchester.

Colin McGinty was just 21 when he was murdered in a clear case of mistaken identity in 2001. Now his sister Laura Hughes, who set up the KNOwKnifeCrime campaign to prevent knife crime, has been instrumental in gaining the support of Merseyrail.

Laura gifted specialist Bleed Control Kits to Formby and Freshfield stations after receiving funding from Formby Parish Council. Merseyrail has now committed to fund the kits to every other station on their network.

The Bleed Control Kits are produced by KnifeSavers, a not-for-profit UK-wide programme that empowers people to deal with bleeding caused by knife injuries.

While the Merseyrail network is a safe place for customers, thanks to CCTV, staffed stations and staffed trains, many stations are community hubs and at locations that are easy to find. In an emergency a local station can become a point of support and help that could make all the difference.

KnifeSavers was founded by trauma doctors at the Major Trauma Centre at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool. They want everyone to be able to stop bleeding after a knife attack.

As part of this, KnifeSavers also run an education programme and has a step-by-step app explaining how to use the bleed control kits. Information sessions will be taking place at Merseyrail stations so members of the public will be confident using the equipment if it is required.

Every component of the kit has been designed with first-hand knowledge of the medical care required to treat the traumatic injuries sustained following a knife wound.

And now Bleed Control Kits are situated at all Merseyrail stations, alongside defibrillator emergency kits.

Laura, who now campaigns for KNOwKnifeCrime and KnifeSavers, said: “I am delighted that all Merseyrail stations will have a KnifeSavers kit on site.

“Our campaign has two main objectives, the first being to educate people on the dangers of carrying a knife and the second being what to do if you are at the scene of a trauma incident to stop a person from bleeding to death.

“To date we have been able to purchase and install kits across Lancashire, Merseyside and Manchester and we continue to fundraise and apply for funding so that we can continue with this work throughout the North West.”

Nikhil Misra, Consultant General and Trauma Surgeon and KnifeSavers founder, said: “The KnifeSavers bleeding control campaign team are proud to be supporting Merseyrail’s potentially lifesaving innovation of the rollout of bleeding control kits and public access cabinets around their extensive regional transport network. 

“Everyone in the region knows Merseyrail, with hundreds of thousands of people using their transport services every year. So, to have such a huge organisation taking the lead on providing publicly accessible bleeding control first aid kits is massive for us - and without a doubt will help to make our region safer”.

Suzanne Grant, Chief Commercial Officer & Deputy Managing Director for Merseyrail, said: “It is so important for Merseyrail to be able to support this worthy local charity.

“Whilst our network is safe and levels of crime are low, we do want to support this positive initiative for the benefit of the local community. We’re proud to be able to make the financial investment to help protect the people of our region.”