Rotary club undertakes stadium challenge for ‘bleed campaign’

Members of Blackwood, Bargoed, and Pontllanfraith Rotary Club scaled the heights of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as part of fundraising efforts to educate children about first aid.

Every year in the UK, around 19,000 people die after injury because of major bleeding.

If someone has an accident, is a victim of knife crime or becomes injured in a major incident – the single most preventable cause of death is bleeding.

The three Rotary Clubs are hoping to change that with its local ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign, launched earlier this year.

The three charitable organisations are fundraising to provide training kits to teach Year 7 pupils the basics in how to stop major bleeds.

They are also raising money to buy equipment for bleed emergencies which can hopefully be installed alongside community defibrillators.

The target amount is £9,000, with almost £1,300 raised so far.

It is working with first aid charity citizenAID to hopefully rollout training to comprehensive schools across Caerphilly County Borough with a team of volunteers.

Teachings skills such as applying pressure to a wound, packing it, and using a makeshift tourniquet can mean the difference between life and death.

As well as fundraising, the club has enlisted former nurse the Rev Lisa Taylor, vicar in the Islwyn Ministry Area, as the lead trainer to go out to schools.

Trevor Morgan, chair of community services at Blackwood Rotary, is behind plans for the local campaign, which will culminate with citizenAID’s ‘Stop the Bleed Day’ in April next year.

The three Rotarians who undertook the Principality Stadium challenge this month were Barry Jones of Blackwood Rotary; Clive Birkby of Bargoed Rotary; and David Curtis from Pontllanfraith Rotary.

They each climbed to the stadium roof before zip-wiring across it and abseiling back down to the ground.

People can visit gofund.me/24ccee69 to donate online to the campaign.