New trauma response kits rolled out across Hoyland Milton and Rockingham community venues.

Community venues across Hoyland Milton and Rockingham are set to receive new Public Access Trauma Kits (PAcT) as part of a community-led project to improve emergency preparedness and help save lives.

Funded by the Hoyland Milton and Rockingham Ward Alliance following discussions through local community safety and resilience meetings, the kits will be installed in a number of venues across the area, giving people access to specialist equipment that can be used in the crucial minutes before emergency services arrive.

The kits are designed to help respond to major trauma incidents that may include examples like catastrophic bleeding, providing life-saving equipment such as tourniquets, trauma dressings and other emergency supplies. Similar kits are increasingly being installed in public places across the UK alongside defibrillators as part of efforts to improve community resilience and emergency preparedness. Public Access Trauma Kits are intended to support responses to a range of emergencies, including serious accidents, road traffic collisions and other incidents where severe bleeding may occur.

The project has been developed in partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, South Yorkshire Police, community venues, local licensed premises and community organisations to help improve emergency preparedness across the area. Alongside the installation of the kits, training will be provided to participating venues, with additional community sessions planned to help residents understand how to respond in an emergency.

The first phase of the project will see kits installed at:

• Birdwell Venue

• The Keys

• The Furnace Inn

• The Star

• Belmont Working Men's Club

• The Old Bank

• The Flying Dutchman

• Hoyland Library

• Elsecar Cricket Club

• South Area Team

Each venue will display window stickers showing that a trauma response kit is available on site, helping residents and visitors quickly identify a location where emergency equipment can be accessed if needed.

A map showing the locations of the kits is also being developed to help raise awareness of where they can be found across the area.

Councillor Sam Burdett, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities, said:

"When communities come together to identify local issues and take positive action, great things can happen. This project is a fantastic example of local people, partners and the Hoyland, Milton and Rockingham Ward Alliance working together to improve safety across our communities.

"These trauma kits provide an additional layer of support that could prove vital in an emergency, whether that's a serious accident, a road traffic collision or another unexpected incident. While we hope they are never needed, having them available and ensuring local people know where they are and how they work could make a real difference.

"It's also great to work alongside Yorkshire Ambulance Service, South Yorkshire Police, local venues and community organisations to bring this project to life. Their expertise and support have helped shape an initiative that not only provides access to potentially life-saving equipment, but also helps raise awareness of what people can do in those critical moments before emergency services arrive.

"I'm particularly pleased that this project doesn't stop at providing the equipment. By offering training for venue staff and local residents, we're helping to build stronger, safer and more resilient communities. Together, we're creating a network of local venues and community champions who are better prepared to respond when someone needs help."

Training sessions for participating venues will take place as the kits are rolled out, with wider community training opportunities planned later in the year to help develop local community champions and improve awareness of emergency first aid.

The initiative supports wider partnership work taking place across Barnsley to improve community safety, including work with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, South Yorkshire Police, local schools, licensed premises and other organisations to help keep people safe.

For more information about the project or future training opportunities, contact southteam@barnsley.gov.uk.