A mother’s mission brings emergency aid to Midlothian

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-07-20 18:32 3 min read

A mother caring for her baby in a calm, domestic porch setting.

By the Beehiveweb News Desk | Published 29 June 2026

A community hub in Penicuik has become the first premises in Midlothian to hold a publicly available BleedSave First Aid Bleed Control Kit, giving residents access to equipment designed for severe bleeding emergencies.

The kit at Food Facts Friends was installed through a campaign led by Edinburgh mother Lisa Petrie. Her 22-year-old son, John McNab, died after an unprovoked stabbing by a stranger in Leith on 2 September 2025.

Petrie is now distributing bleed-control kits and training people in communities across Scotland. She told Midlothian Council: “I don’t want John dying in vain, which is why I’m channelling my grief into this. If we can save even one life, it will mean everything.”

Penicuik hub hosts Midlothian’s first kit

Food Facts Friends is the first publicly identified location in the county to stock one of Petrie’s BleedSave kits. Project manager Mark Wells said the organisation was proud to support the campaign, raise awareness and contribute to community safety.

The equipment is intended for severe bleeding caused by accidents and injuries as well as violent incidents. Its presence means potentially useful supplies are available locally while emergency medical help is being sought, although a kit does not replace calling 999 or following instructions from an emergency call handler.

Residents looking for the equipment should check the UK Bleed Control Kit Map for the latest registered location information. The council announcement identifies Food Facts Friends in Penicuik as the first participating premises in Midlothian but does not provide opening-hours access details, so availability should be confirmed before relying on the site outside normal operating times.

A comparable community bleed-kit programme in Brent has paired public equipment with free emergency-response training, reflecting wider efforts to make immediate bleeding control more accessible.

What the BleedSave kit contains

Each kit carries a tourniquet, clotting bandage, gloves, gauze, wound dressings, scissors and foil blankets. These supplies cover different parts of an emergency response, from protecting the person providing help to applying pressure and dressing a serious wound.

A mother’s mission brings emergency aid to Midlothian

Tourniquets and clotting products require careful use. Anyone confronted with severe bleeding should call 999 as soon as possible, follow the call handler’s directions and use only equipment they understand. Training helps people recognise the contents of a kit and respond more confidently without delaying professional care.

The kits are not limited to knife-related emergencies. Midlothian Council said they are designed for severe bleeding across a range of situations, including accidental injuries.

Training is central to Lisa Petrie’s campaign

Petrie’s work combines installing equipment with teaching people how to use it. The source announcement does not list a public training date for Penicuik, the number of available places or whether sessions will be hosted at Food Facts Friends.

Organisations considering a kit should therefore contact the campaign directly for current information about installation and training arrangements. Community groups, businesses and other premises can express interest by calling 0131 467 3578.

Council leader Kelly Parry commended Petrie for turning personal loss into work that could protect others. She also encouraged more organisations and community groups to consider supporting the initiative.

Campaign reaches nearly 100 Scottish locations

Petrie has already placed kits in 98 public locations across Scotland and intends to expand the network further. Each new registered site can shorten the distance between a serious incident and access to specialist bleeding-control supplies, particularly when bystanders are present before an ambulance arrives.

The Penicuik installation is the campaign’s first foothold in Midlothian. Groups interested in becoming another host location can contact the initiative on 0131 467 3578.

Source: Midlothian Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check How this report was checked

The installation, campaign details, kit contents and contact information were checked against Midlothian Council’s notice published on 29 June 2026.

Checks

Confirmed Food Facts Friends in Penicuik as the first Midlothian premises named as stockin...
Checked the listed contents of the emergency bleed-control kit.
Confirmed that Lisa Petrie’s campaign combines kit distribution with community training.
Checked the campaign contact number and reported total of 98 Scottish locations.

Midlothian Council Check wider coverage