Thursday December 11th 2025
Edinburgh City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
Capital secondary schools and community centres should be equipped with bleed kits to help save lives if stabbing attacks happen, according to an Edinburgh councillor.
It comes as police figures show knife possession among 11-15 year olds has climbed 15% in the last five years.
Green councillor Susan Rae thinks lifesaving equipment should be easier to access across the city.
She has put a motion to next Thursday’s full Edinburgh Council meeting calling for bleed kits to be installed, and for the city to support efforts to make knives harder to obtain.
In it, she writes that a ‘multi-agency approach’ is required to develop ways to reduce and prevent knife crime.
She adds: “Being adequately prepared to deal with the aftermath of such an attack can save lives.”
In the motion, she says the council should thank Lisa Petrie, from Leith, for her campaigning to get more bleed kits made available in the city.
Ms Petrie’s work started after her son, John McNab, died after being stabbed on Great Junction Street earlier this year.
She has called on both the UK and Scottish governments to explore what steps can be taken to make knives harder to obtain from retailers.
Within Edinburgh, she has started work making bleeding kits herself, combining ready-made units she buys online with other medical equipment.
As of late November, she had put together 24 kits, and distributed several to capital businesses.
Public bleed kits are widespread in England, with around 3,000 available around the country, but very few are in place in Scotland.
If approved, Cllr Rae’s motion would have council officers prepare a report spelling out how much providing bleed kits in secondary schools and community centres would cost.
It would also see council leader and Labour councillor Jane Meagher write to the UK and Scottish governments outlining the city’s support for more restrictions on knife sales.
Councillors will consider the motion at the next full Edinburgh Council meeting, set to take place on Thursday, December 18, which you can view here.
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