Oliver Freckleton: Man installs bleed kits in memory of stabbed son

A man whose 19-year-old son was stabbed to death has had seven bleed control kits installed in his local area.

Oliver Freckleton died in Burton-upon-Trent on 11 December 2021, a day before his 20th birthday.

His father Rob secured £5,000 of funding with help from his work at Argos to get seven of the kits installed.

"In the last five weeks, three of these kits have been used and all have saved a life," Mr Freckleton said.

Oliver, who had autism, went out with friends the day he was stabbed and nine people have since been charged with his murder.

Mr Freckleton said he contacted Lynne Baird, the mother of Daniel Baird, who was stabbed on a night out in Digbeth, Birmingham in 2017.

Ms Baird set up The Daniel Baird Foundation Charity in memory of her son which campaigns for more bleed control kits to be made accessible on the streets.

Mr Freckleton said the kits work in a similar way to a defibrillator.

"You dial 999, they'll tell you where the nearest bleed kit is, give you the combination and talk you through it," he said.

Oliver's father said how his son "always makes him proud" and how he hoped that Oliver would be proud of him now too.

He has also been working with the Street Whyze charity in Staffordshire to help educate children and work with agencies to curb the growing problem of knife crime.

"These are the first in East Staffordshire and really are amazing bits of kit," he added.

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