THE Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) is inviting all secondary schools across Merseyside to take part in Stop the Bleed Day 2026 - a national day of action that equips young people with simple, life‑saving skills.

Taking place on:- Wednesday, 29 April 2026, Stop the Bleed Day gives young people the confidence to take action if someone suffers a life‑threatening bleed. The session is short, engaging, and suitable for Year 7 and above, making it easy to build into the school day.

By taking part, pupils will learn simple, memorable skills that could 1 day save a life, including:-
 

• How to recognise a life‑threatening bleed

• How to control a bleeding wound.

• How to apply pressure to a wound correctly.

• How to pack a wound

• How to improvise a tourniquet

 
Last year’s Stop the Bleed Day reached schools across Manchester, with fantastic feedback on how confident and engaged pupils felt afterwards.

This year, the MVRP are working with our partners KnifeSavers, as well as citizenAID and the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (GMVRU), to bring this practical, empowering training to schools across Merseyside, with the aim of training as many pupils as possible and being part of an even bigger national effort to empower young people.

KnifeSavers founder and Consultant Trauma surgeon at Merseyside’ Major Trauma Centre, based at Aintree University Hospital, Nikhil Misra, said:- “KnifeSavers was founded on the belief that literally anyone can save a life with the right knowledge, so we’re proud to be bringing this national day of action to young people across Merseyside. Stop the Bleed Day gives students those essential skills in a hands‑on, fun and memorable way. Last year’s success showed how engaged and capable young people are when given opportunities like this. Working with MVRP, we are determined to reach as many young people as possible to learn how to save a life by stopping bleeding in 1 day.”

Nigel Barraclough, Paramedic and National Project Lead for Stop the Bleed Day, said:- “We are proud to partner with MVRP and KnifeSavers to bring this life-saving training to Merseyside and Cheshire. A person can bleed out in less than 5 minutes, yet the skills to prevent this are remarkably simple to learn. By empowering young people with this knowledge, we are giving them the tools to save lives when every 2nd counts.”

Director of the MVRP, Supt Georgie Garvey, said:- “Early intervention is at the heart of everything we do, and Stop the Bleed Day is a perfect example of prevention in action. By teaching young people practical, life‑saving skills, we are not only preparing them for emergencies but also helping them understand the real‑life consequences of violence in a safe, constructive way. We’re proud to be working with our partners KnifeSavers to support this initiative. The training is easy to deliver, impactful and completely free for schools. We want as many pupils as possible across Merseyside to benefit.”

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- “Stop the Bleed Day is a simple but powerful way to equip young people with the skills and confidence to save a life. This initiative complements the long‑term work we are delivering through the MVRP to prevent serious violence, support early intervention and create safer futures for our young people. I strongly encourage schools across Merseyside to get involved. By taking part, you are giving pupils practical tools that could make all the difference in an emergency, and you are helping build safer, stronger communities.”


How to get your school involved

By taking part, your school will:-

• Promote resilience and practical life skills
• Support community safety
• Take part in a coordinated national education initiative
• Become part of a growing network committed to saving lives

 

Everything your school needs is provided

1 of the biggest advantages of Stop the Bleed Day is its simplicity. Schools receive:-

• A ready‑to‑use instructional video
• A full support pack
• Guidance on creating or purchasing a training model
• Volunteers from the KnifeSavers clinical team to help run the session

Your team just needs to provide space, basic AV equipment and staff supervision. The session lasts 30–45 minutes, and entire year groups can be trained in a single day - up to 300 pupils.

Signing up is quick and easy. Schools and volunteers can register here.