Who are Voluntary Action Calerdale (VAC)?

At Jax First Aid, we are proud to support and supply charity organisations making a big difference both nationally and locally. One such voluntary charity organisation, VAC, ordered over 4000 HSE 1 Person First Aid Kits from us to include in their winter care packs to give out to their local community of Calderdale.

These care packages formed a core part of VAC’s winter campaign, made to give individuals access to the best health and care services at the right time and place. The winter care packs given out by VAC included all essential items to help locals stay healthy, warm, and hydrated, whilst also relieving a great deal of pressure on GPs, A&E departments, and other frontline NHS services over winter.

A Brief History of VAC: Supporting Calderdale’s Communities Since 2000

Voluntary Action Calerdale (VAC) has been a huge part of community support in Calderdale since their establishment in 2000. Over the years, VAC has helped in developing and delivering many services and projects, becoming a recognised name within the local Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).​

Through their commitment to inclusion, quality, solutions, connectivity, and integrity, VAC creates lasting connections by working towards shared goals, making sure that everyone in the community is safe and healthy.

Helping communities in winter

VAC’s voluntary campaign heavily focused on encouraging people to make the right healthcare choices by using self-care options when it’s safe to do so, which would reduce demand on GP practices and A&E for minor health concerns.

Winter commonly sees a surge in demand for NHS services due to flu and minor injuries. Many of these can be managed quickly and effectively at home with a stocked-up first aid kit, which can save trips to overburdened clinics or emergency rooms.

The HSE 1 Person First Aid Kit that VAC added to every care pack gave locals the important first aid essentials, such as dressings, plasters, gloves, cleansing wipes, as well as guidance on basic care.

What was inside VAC’s winter care packs?

As seen in VAC’s winter campaign video, each winter care pack was assembled thoughtfully, with vulnerable individuals in mind. The inclusion of a first aid kit wasn’t just about first aid supplies, but more about empowering people with equipment for basic independent care.

These care packs were supported further through VAC’s other initiative; through winter messaging, VCSE organisations and Engagement Champions effectively engaged with specific groups to deliver essential and important health and care information. These messages were shared across the care packs and social media, encouraging the use of online services and pharmacies for minor illnesses, providing tips on staying well, and offering good guidance on when, and when not, to use emergency services.

The power of prevention: first aid as a Public Health Tool

This winter, VAC didn’t just deliver supplies, but helped to reduce unnecessary stress on healthcare services with information and education.

First aid education and access can help individuals to:

• Treat minor burns, cuts, and sprains at home
• Avoid lengthy wait times at urgent care
• Understand when to seek professional help

For organisations or charities running similar initiatives, we strongly recommend our training bundles to help support community CPR and first aid awareness sessions.

Looking ahead

As the warmer months are now starting to arrive, the lessons learned from winter still apply. Empowering people with the correct tools, knowledge, and support can help relieve NHS stress and create healthier communities.

We are highly grateful to organisations and charities such as VAC for choosing Jax First Aid to support such meaningful messages and community care. If your organisation is planning a similar initiative, we would love to help.