Bleed control kit and memorial plaque installed in Darnhill in memory of Callum Riley

Date published: 02 March 2023

A bleed control kit and a memorial plaque have been installed in the Darnhill area of Heywood in memory of Callum Riley.

Callum, 17, was found with serious injuries on Atholl Drive last year, and sadly died on 17 September. Although arrests were made at the time, no-one has yet been charged in connection with his death.
 

Read more: Parents of 17-year-old Callum Riley pay tribute to 'strong, caring and unforgettable' sonPublished: 20 September 2022

Through her grief, Callum’s mum, Tracy Marsland, arranged for the bleed control kit to be installed for the local community, which could save lives in future.

The bleed kit and plaque came about after Tracy was put in touch with Kelly Brown, whose son Rhamero West, 16, was killed in 2021 when he was stabbed in Trafford, via Councillor Angela Brown.

Kelly started the Mero’s World charity, which has been installing the kits around Greater Manchester in Rhamero’s memory and had one available to donate in memory of Callum.

The life-saving kit and memorial plaque were installed at the Darnhill shops on 27 February next to the defibrillator outside Lloyds Pharmacy.

The 24/7 access key coded kit – which includes pressure dressings, gauze bandages and tourniquets – is the first to be installed in Heywood, and follows one installed in Middleton last year.
 

Read more: Bleed control kit installed outside Middleton Shopping CentrePublished: 08 September 2022

In order to help increase chances of survival following significant blood loss, the kits are designed to prevent stab-related deaths in the same way public defibrillators have been credited with a drop in heart attack deaths.

Much like a defibrillator, the kits are registered with the emergency services and access provided via a 999 operator. None of the medical devices in the emergency bleed control kit require training to use and the 999 operator will be able to talk the user through the process.

Instructions are also included inside the cabinet.

The plaque above reads: “Russell. Forever 17. Loved Beyond Belief. Missed Forever x x x.”

Callum was fondly known as Russell by his friends, a nickname which Tracy says came about after a friend in primary school said Callum looked like Russell from the Pixar film UP.

“I wanted the plaque to say Russell for his friends. I knew I wanted a plaque so I rang Timpsons in Morrisons and as soon as I said who it was for, they said he’d never be forgotten and donated it,” Tracy added.

She said: “It’s amazing to have this kit. I can’t thank Kelly enough for doing this in memory of Callum.

“If it helps one person, it’s worth it. I don’t want Callum’s death to be in vain.”

Councillor Brown added: "When I met Tracy, she told me how she wanted to make sure Callum isn't forgotten. I've been following Kelly and Mero's World for a while via Councillor Jade Doswell in Manchester.

"I knew Kelly would be one of the few people who could truly empathise with Tracy and could help her take the positive action she is looking for. The bleed cabinet could save lives in future and every life saved will be because of Callum and in his memory."

Bleed control kits were originally designed by the Daniel Baird Foundation – launched by a mum who lost her son after he was stabbed and bled to death –  and Prometheus Medical to help prevent catastrophic bleeding leading to a fatality.

Despite being available in the US, with such kits being distributed to schools and venues in every state, nothing similar existed in the UK.

The foundation now aims to install bleed control kits in as many places as possible.