Innovative first aid business set for growth

Award-winning Yorkshire based Mini First Aid is expanding with investment from Finance Yorkshire.

The company was founded nine years ago by Yorkshire Businesswoman of the Year award winner, Kate Ball who has successfully grown the business which now operates more than 70 franchises covering most of the UK.

Mini First Aid provides first aid training and education to people of all ages with its original parent and carer classes proving most popular. Other classes are aimed at children and adults with workplace training available.

Kate started the business from her home after her brother died suddenly from heart failure. His student friends called the emergency services but the students did not know how to do CPR. Later, pregnant with her first child, she found there was little in the way of first aid training for parents-to-be.

A £100,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire’s Loan fund will support Mini First Aid in its growth ambitions which include new product development and staff hires including a marketing manager.

Mini First Aid’s parent and carer class covers all emergency situations including CPR, choking, bleeding and burns. On average, 1,000 families are trained each week. The company also sells branded first aid kits and has recently added a reuseable hot and cold gel pack to its product range.

Kate said: “My aim has been to build a brand providing first aid training which is memorable. All Mini First Aid classes are a brilliant learning experience – they are hands-on with skills taught in a way that people will remember should they need to put them into practice.”

Kate is joined in the business by her husband Matt who is operations and financial director. They have six children and Kate was named Yorkshire Businesswoman of the Year 2024.

The couple are now working with leading charities and the NHS to provide fully funded classes for low-income families. Kate added: “Only 10% of new parents are learning first aid so the opportunity to grow Mini First Aid in the UK is massive. There is also the potential for us to roll out our training model in other countries.”

Alex McWhirter, CEO of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Under Kate’s leadership, Mini First Aid has become a widely recognised brand delivering vital life skills to people of all ages. We are pleased to support the Mini First Aid team in their ambitions to grow further by reaching more people with their innovative style of first aid training.”

Finance Yorkshire’s business loans fund is part of a wider regional investment fund which is expected to provide more than £50m to SMEs over five years. Investment is also available from its seedcorn and growth funds.