Children as young as 11 are being taught how to deal with stab wounds. The training could save lives, with bosses saying it's vital kids across Greater Manchester know what to do in the wake of a knife attack.
One headteacher acknowledged the 'unfortunate' reality that violence is 'on our doorstep', adding: "We want our young people to be ready for the real world."
Hundreds of schoolchildren were among the first to use dummy limbs to learn how to apply pressure, pack wounds and use a tourniquet this week. It comes following a Manchester Evening News investigation into the scourge of knife crime in our region.
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Some claim we're in the midst of a 'pandemic'. Figures released by Greater Manchester Police show that from November to January, a staggering 898 crimes involving a blade were reported in our region.
The M.E.N. has reported on around 20 serious stabbing incidents since the beginning of the year. Police say things are improving, but admit there's 'much more' to be done.
The 'Stop the Bleed' project by the region's violence reduction unit (VRU), could be rolled out to secondary schools across the country next year. The skills learned, bosses say, can also help kids deal with accidental injuries, car crash victims and animal attacks.
"A priority is early intervention to prevent situations where a young person is harmed or bleeding because of a deliberate attack," deputy mayor Kate Green said. "But, unfortunately, there are situations when this does happen, and therefore it is vital that young people know how to act."
The lessons, she added, would give children the 'necessary skills to act quickly when someone is severely bleeding, which could ultimately save their life'.
'It can ruin so many lives'
Kelly Brown knows all too well the devastating impact of knife crime. Her son Rhamero West was fatally stabbed in Old Trafford in 2021.
The 16-year-old was chased by three teenagers and stabbed. Ryan Cashin and Giovanni Lawrence were jailed for life for his murder, while Marquis Richards was sentenced to the youth equivalent of life and locked up for at least 18 years following a Crown Court trial.
Despite facing unimaginable loss, Kelly has worked tirelessly since Rhamero's death to raise awareness of knife crime and deter young people from arming themselves. She visits schools to talk to youngsters about the wider impact and has managed to install 31 bleed safety cabinets in locations across Manchester as part of the Mero's World initiative.
They contain instructions on how to help control a bleed as well as equipment to help a person who has been stabbed. Kelly wants the cabinet to become as common as defibrillators.
She says there is '100 per cent' a knife crime epidemic in Greater Manchester and believes any action to deter the use of weapons and save lives is a positive step - and called for younger kids to be given lessons.
On the Stop the Bleed project, she said: "I feel like it's needed. I think we should be targeting children in year 5 and 6 in primary schools - before they go into that transitional age.
"I think that's the perfect age to learn to be honest. You never know when there is going to be an incident or if these children will come across something really serious.
"I go into schools and talk to children about the impact of knife crime. I get a beautiful reaction. You get some kids who wait behind afterwards to give you a hug. If I can get through to just one person it will be enough.
To anyone who is considering carrying a knife, Kelly's message is clear: "It's not worth the ripple effect you are leaving behind. You can ruin so many lives. It's just not worth it."
'Ready for the real world'
Charity citizenAID - which educates people on how to act in multiple casualty incidents - helped develop the training with pupils from The Derby High School in Bury. Pupils were in a video, which was this week shown to 14 schools across the region as they delivered the training.
Lynn Provoost, assistant headteacher, said that by next week, almost the whole school will be trained in bleed training. "It is for any type of bleed, any type of injury," she added. "The idea was to make these resources with the children.
"From a teaching point of view, it's just one day and 30 minutes but they have a totally new life skill now. We want them to be equipped not just with an excellent education but with essential life skills."
Lynn said the training was developed with sensitivity. Children have proved resilient and keen to learn, she added. She says violence and serious incidents are 'on our doorstep unfortunately' which is why the training is necessary.
"They were so engaged in the training," she added. "We want our young people to be ready for the real world. I believe this kind of training should be part of the National Curriculum."
'We know much more needs to be done'
GMP cops also took part in the training at schools in Bolton, Bury and Tameside.
Sergeant Lisa Quinn, of the force's Operation Venture, says injuries are the leading cause of death amongst children and young people under 40 and bleeding is the single most preventable cause of death in cases where someone is injured - such as car accidents or knife crime.
"Operation Venture is working hard to reduce serious violence and I am pleased the figures show that knife crime fell across Greater Manchester by 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to January 2023, however we know that much more needs to be done," she added.
"Part of this involves educating young people, supporting them to make better choices and if necessary, giving them potentially life-saving advice should they ever need it. I hope they will never need it, but I am grateful to citizenAID and Greater Manchester VRU for organising this event today. The lessons are invaluable and could be used in any walk of life where a person is injured and could very well save lives."
Greater Manchester Combined Authority says no other programme has trained as many young people about first aid in a single day.
"The VRU’s priority is to prevent situations where a young person is harmed or bleeding because of a deliberate attack," a spokesperson said. "We are working on numerous projects and interventions to equip young people with the skills necessary to avoid these situations, or help a peer who may find themselves in this situation, including using virtual reality technology to teach young people in schools across Greater Manchester how to be an active bystander, through our work with Round Midnight.
"But, unfortunately, we know that sometimes this does happen. This initiative provides young people with necessary skills to act quickly when someone is severely bleeding, which could ultimately save their life. It provides young people with skills that they can use in the minutes before an ambulance arrives."
The Violence Reduction Unit say there were ‘fewer than 90’ hospital admissions due to assault by sharp object among victims aged under 25 over the last 12 months. That’s down by 17 per cent compared to 2021.
They also report a ‘significant decrease’ in homicides, which are down by 27 per cent compared to 2021, and knife enabled homicides, which are down by 19 per cent compared to 2021.
VRU bosses say more than 10,000 young people have been involved in Community Safety Partnership work in 22/23 with around 800 referrals made to the Navigator service - a scheme which helps young people cope and recover from experiences of violence.
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