ATTFE College launches “Stop The Bleed” kits in defibrillators across Nottinghamshire
Sutton in Ashfield’s ATTFE College proudly announced yesterday (Wednesday, February 18th, 2026) a transformative partnership with the Stop the Bleed initiative, launching a major campaign to enhance public safety in Nottinghamshire.
The official launch took place at the Ashfield Community Health and Wellbeing Centre in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, where the first Stop the Bleed kit was installed into a defibrillator cabinet outside the centre on Portland Street in the town.
Present at the event were key stakeholders, including the East Midlands Ambulance Service, Nottinghamshire Freemasons, and ATTFE College.
The event was also attended by Adele Cook.
This milestone in Kirkby in Ashfield kicked off the county-wide rollout, ensuring every defibrillator across Nottinghamshire is equipped with these vital kits.
As part of this effort, over 1000 defibrillator cabinets across the county will be equipped with Stop the Bleed kits and rolled out county-wide to every cabinet between now and August.
This initiative is being kindly funded by Nottinghamshire Freemasons, who have donated £6,000 with additional support from others including Ashfield and Nottinghamshire County Councillor Joe Rich with ATTFE College providing the lifesaving training sessions to individuals, community groups and organisations.
A further funding bid has been applied for by Nottinghamshire Freemasons to further the initiative.
This initiative has its roots in a highly successful community programme, where over 3,200 people were trained between September and December last year.
A video was produced and has been seen by over 32,000 people also, it was shown at league football games at Nottingham Forest, Notts County and Mansfield Town during December last year.
Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, forging national links and will be continuing its success throughout 2026 and beyond.
The event was attended by BBC and ITV television news and being covered by local radio as well, they were shown how to use a bleed kit in the event of an emergency for television.
It also saw ATTFE College Principal Liz Barrett attend BBC Radio Nottingham on Thursday morning for live interviews during the breakfast show.
“We are honoured to have inaugurated this critical step at the Ashfield Community Health and Wellbeing Centre,” said Liz Barrett, OBE, DL, Principal for ATTFE College.
She added “By integrating these life-saving kits in defibrillator cabinets, we are equipping our communities in Nottinghamshire with essential tools that can make the difference between life and death.”
Peter Gregory, the Community Lead for Nottinghamshire Freemasons said: “This initiative and essential funding will help train our communities and increase resilience, through the funding of Stop the Bleed kits in all defibrillator cabinets across Nottinghamshire, people will know what to do if they come across someone with a severe bleed”.
Michael Barnett-Connolly, Head of Community Response, Collaboration and Engagement at East Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We started out in Nottinghamshire with five bleed control cabinets, we are now putting 73 into public defibrillator sites and seeking consent for a further 826 in community owned sites, through this partnership initiative, it will make the public aware and prepared in case of an emergency situation.”
Residents are encouraged to join us in this life-saving initiative and learn how they can help protect others.
It is essential for everyone to know how to save a life if the situation ever arises at home, work or in the community.
To book a place at any of these sessions, please email Lee.Brazier at ATTFE College at: [email protected] or telephone ATTFE College on 01623 441310.