2,000 pupils learn safety messages at Telford camp
Saying no to strangers and staying away from power lines are among the lessons more 2,000 pupils will be learning at a fun packed safety camp this month.
Children from across Telford & Wrekin borough have been taking part in the successful Crucial Crew programme that is aimed at improving awareness of the dangers that can be found in every day activities.
It is geared to help children aged 10 and 11-years-old as they prepare to move on to secondary school and is run over 14 days.
Year six groups from 50 schools will attend the sessions in the grounds of Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT), in Haybridge Road, Wellington.
Themes being covered include road safety, anti-social behaviour, being street wise, water safety, emergency planning, recognising cyber-bullies, alcohol awareness and sports. Youngsters are put their paces with a series of role play activities, games, talks and demonstrations.
Among those attending this week were more than 100 pupils from Dothill Primary School, Apley Wood Primary School and Dawley CE Primary School.
Dothill's deputy head and Year six teacher Karen Rankin-McCabe went along with took 68 children and seven other staff from the school, in Severn Drive, Dothill.
She said: "The children are really enjoying themselves. It is a really good event and I have been bringing children to Crucial Crew almost from the start, for about 10 years. The practical skills and information that they learn is invaluable and that's is what is so good about this programme.
"It's also nice to see a sports element added into the schedule this year. There is a very good variety of activities."
She added that some of her group were very quickly putting into practice the Crucial Crew advice about not wandering off with strangers by checking that the adult presenters at the event had name badges.
Eleanor Moses, aged 11, was among 50 from Apley Wood Primary, in Pool Farm Avenue, to attend.
"I've found it really helpful being here today because we've been given more details and information about safety. The flood and toxic fire scenarios were quite good. We got to take part in a role play activity to see what would happen if there was a toxic fire at an industrial park and what we should do if we're ever in a similar situation," said Eleanor.
Staff from Dawley CE Primary took 25 pupils to the event, which also saw the Mayor of Telford Councillor Stephen Reynold s call in to pay a visit.
Telford & Wrekin's education chief Councillor Shirley Reynolds said: "Crucial Crew is a fantastic event with more than 2,000 children receiving guidance on what to do in a number of potentially unsafe situations.
"It's essential that we equip children with the knowledge to tackle them and Crucial Crew has certainly managed to do that over the course of a day. It was easy to tell that the children had a fantastic day , but also that they were learning every step of the way. I would very much like to thank TCAT which has been a great venue for an event of this size and nature."
The event is organised by the borough council in partnership with numerous organisations and companies including Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service that set up a home safety tent complete with smoke, utility firm Western Power supplied a mock sub station, Shropshire Community Health, West Mercia Police Cadets and the council's sport unit Be Active led a team assault course session.
