Sunderland pupils inspired by safety brief

Pupils from Valley Road Community Primary School in Hendon, Sunderland were taught the dangers of playing on building sites when a team from community regeneration specialist, Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East called in to take assembly.

Always keen to get involved in the communities where it works, the Wearside-based firm joined in with assembly to talk to the children from years one to six.

The pupils were shown an interactive DVD which highlighted the dangers of playing on building sites, health & safety and the importance of site security. The safety brief inspired pupils so much that they started a poster campaign to communicate the dangers to other children living on the estate.

Victoria Carr, FHM’s resident liaison officer who presented to the school said: “I was delighted to be asked to present to the pupils highlighting the dangers of building sites. Children, in particular, see building sites as an ideal playground however, the aim of our presentation was to point out that they are very dangerous places and I was pleased with their response.

“The poster designs were excellent with so many different ideas and I would like to thank all the pupils for taking part.”

George Stobbart, Deputy Principal at Valley Road Community Primary School said: “We are delighted to have been involved in this initiative. The safety of children in the community is always of concern to us and our families. The feedback from the children was very positive and they said that this project made them think about the open and hidden dangers on building sites and to think about similar dangers in the wider environment. This has been a highly worthwhile scheme”.

FHM are working in the Hendon area in partnership with Back on the Map – the New Deal for Communities (NDC) regeneration programme in the East End of Sunderland and Hendon. Back on the Map are making external improvements to over 440 properties in the middle Hendon area. The work, carried out by FHM, includes repairing or renewing windows, doors, boundary walls, fences, gates, gutters and street signs.

Stephen Croft, housing and development manager at Back on the Map, said: "Our Transforming Hendon project is our biggest project to date and we are making sure that everyone, particularly children, stays safe whilst the building team is working in their neighbourhood."

Victoria Carr and her colleague Ian Hann, also from FHM selected five winning designs. The winners who each won art stationary were Anisa Smiha, Summer Forster, Poppy Butler, Shona Todd and Chloe Barrow.