Casualties Union
Welcome to Casualties Union
We are a registered charity and independent voluntary organisation dedicated to creating realistic training experiences for the medical profession, emergency services, and first aid instructors. Our members expertly portray injured or ill patients, helping healthcare professionals, rescuers, and first responders develop vital skills in care, diagnosis, and treatment.
Acting
Making the incident feel as realistic as possible to all involved
Staging
We pride ourselves on the realism of our incident staging
Makeup
Professional makeup techniques add to the realism of the injury and training
Who we are
We are unpaid volunteers, giving up spare time to perfect techniques and assist clients with their training
What we do
We create the illusion of illness or injury by makeup, staging and acting
Who we work with
First aiders, paramedics, doctors, nurses, police, fire-fighters, rescue teams and more
Operating since 1942
We continue to develop our skills and techniques to match the changing needs of our clients.
Professional Services
We train our members in the art of acting, makeup and staging to make their presentations as realistic as possible.
Large UK network
With several hundred members throughout England and Wales, we can provide our services in most areas of the UK.
Click here to download a pdf copy of our brochure
Casualties Union is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (No. 1200120), registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Our dedicated members volunteer their time and expertise to improve public safety and emergency care.
We specialise in providing realistic acting and casualty simulation for medical professionals, emergency services, and first aid, nursing, and rescue trainers. Using highly developed makeup and performance techniques—refined since 1942—our work is trusted by the UK’s leading hospitals, emergency responders, and industry trainers.
Every scenario we create is meticulously researched and rehearsed to ensure absolute accuracy. We’re proud to work under the guidance of some of the nation’s most respected medical experts, ensuring that the realism we bring makes a real difference.
Our Vision:
That every person facing a sudden accident or medical emergency benefits from skilled, confident rescuers—trained through the authentic, life-like scenarios we provide.
Casualties Union has decades worth of experience
Casualties Union has its roots in the Surrey County Civil Defence Rescue School, established during World War II by Eric Claxton. The school’s purpose was to train rescuers in safely extricating bomb victims from damaged buildings—a vital skill during the Blitz.
To make the training as realistic and effective as possible, Claxton introduced the innovative use of actors with simulated injuries. These realistic scenarios helped rescuers develop both technical skills and the ability to provide care under pressure.
In 1942, this pioneering approach led to the formation of Casualties Union, an organisation dedicated to improving training through realism. More than 80 years later, we continue this mission—supporting emergency services, healthcare professionals, and first aid instructors with lifelike casualty simulation that saves lives.
Some of our Clients
