7 July 2008
Safety-conscious eleven year olds win awards
Nearly 700 children from 22 Wealden primary schools received first-hand experience in coping with emergency situations at Wealden's 2008 Safety in Action Week held at Herstmonceux Castle.
"And the good news is, they came out of the experience with flying colours, having learnt a tremendous amount from the day," said Councillor Ron Cussons, Cabinet member for Community at Wealden District Council.
"It is very reassuring to see the levels of common sense shown by 10-11 years olds when taking part in life-like exercises. Grown-ups may worry about how safe the world is outside their front door but Safety in Action shows that, given the right example, young people are capable of meeting the challenges of the wider world."
Ten different agencies participated in the event organised by Wealden District Council. Scenarios included What to do if you see a fire being started; Being approached by a stranger; Helping an injured cyclist; Alcohol awareness; Safety in farmyards, and Staying safe around electrical installations and railways.
Most of the sessions involved setting up realistic scenarios for the children to act out their responses and learn from any potentially dangerous mistakes in a safe and controlled environment.
One teacher from a participating school had this to say about Safety in Action 2008:
"This has been an invaluable experience for the children. It is well organised with each scene containing numerous elements. Resources ranged from dogs and DVDs to railway lines and arsonists! All children were participating and giving feedback. Really informative and energetic tuition."
The organisations contributing to Safety in Action included:
South East Coast Ambulance Service
East Sussex Downs and Wealden Primary care Trust
East Sussex Fire and Rescue
Sussex Police
EDF Energy
Coastguard Agency
East Sussex Trading Standards
Each Primary School's group of Year 6 pupils was given scores for their participation in the training activities. Best performers in the police and ambulance scenarios were Danehill Primary School and Five Ashes School, respectively. Frant Primary School students won the road safety scenario award. The school was awarded a £150 prize donated by Servomex, which will be presented by Councillor Chantal Wilson, Chairman of the Council in memory of an 11 year old boy, Lawrence Reeve, who was tragically killed on a Sussex lane.
The overall winners were a class from Maynards Green Primary School, which will receive the £150 first prize donated by EDF Energy.
