Solihull MP walking 20 miles to raise money for defibrillators and bleed kits
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP is setting off tomorrow morning
Solihull MP Dr Shastri-Hurst is walking twenty miles tomorrow from Castle Bromwich to Earlswood to raise money for defibrillators and bleed kits in his constituency.
It’s part of a wider campaign against knife crime.
He said his experience working as a trauma surgeon showed him the “devastating effect of violent crime”.
His fundraising target of £1500 has already been reached. He said that money will buy at least one defibrillator and around 19 bleed kits.
He described this equipment as vital. “It’s about being able to administer lifesaving first aid at the scene, as quickly as possible,” he said.
He’s working with the Daniel Baird Foundation, which was set up after 26-year-old Daniel Baird was fatally stabbed in Digbeth. The charity provides bleed kits and lifesaving training.
He wants this training to be given to all children in schools. He said young people need to know what to do in an emergency “so they don’t lose their head because these can be frightening events and if they can keep their cool, they can save a life.”
Campaigning against knife crime has been a big part of Dr Shastri-Hurst’s time in Parliament. He said, “we know there’s an issue around knife crime in this country, the West Midlands itself has particularly disappointing statistics.”
He said dealing with knife crime means both providing emergency equipment and also stopping knife crime from happening in the first place.
“We want to get the knives off the street… but whilst we’re working on our long-term solutions, we also need that life-saving equipment available,” he said.