Mia’s Mission to Save Lives in Exeter

By Amy Jones (St Thomas Community Builder)

I met 16 year old Mia and her mum, Sam, after being contacted by a volunteer at the Riverside Church Café. They reached out to me as the St Thomas Community Builder to talk about something incredibly important, bleed control kits and the devastating impact of youth knife crime.

Last year, one of Mia’s close friends was tragically killed in a knife attack in Bristol. He was just 15, and it was a case of mistaken identity, he’d simply gone out to buy a pizza.

This heartbreaking experience has inspired Mia to take action. She’s now an Ambassador for the Daniel Baird Foundation, working tirelessly to get bleed kits installed across Exeter.

These kits can be used in any major incident to help stop bleeding and give vital time before emergency services arrive. Each one costs around £100.

Our first meeting focused on where would be best to install a bleed kit in St Thomas, with the hope of securing a few more for other parts of the city. Together, we explored funding opportunities, and I was able to help Mia find a suitable grant and support her with the application process.

I’m thrilled to share that her grant application was successful! Thanks to Mia’s determination and a strong community connection there will soon be a bleed kit in every ward of Exeter.

What an inspiring example of a young person turning tragedy into action and making a real difference in her community.