P7 Pupils Encouraged to 'BeeSafe'

January 17, 2019

Over 1,000 P7 pupils from 23 primary schools across the Lisburn Castlereagh area attended the recent multi-agency community safety initiative ‘BeeSafe’ event at Maze Presbyterian Church Halls, Lisburn. 

This four day event was organised and attended by the Council’s Environmental Health Service.  Other agencies present were the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, NIE Networks, Translink, the Council’s Home Safety Officer, RNLI and HSE-Farm Safety.

BeeSafe covered: bus safety; fire safety; safety in the home; safe use of the Internet; staying safe around electricity; personal safety; farm safety; water safety and how to act if approached by strangers.

Councillor Janet Gray MBE, Chair of the Council’s Environmental Services Committee, speaking about the initiative, said: “BeeSafe is specifically aimed at P7 pupils to give them practical tips and advice on keeping safe as they prepare to move to ‘big school’.  The transfer to a larger school can be daunting for the pupils as they meet new people and go from being the oldest to the youngest. The agencies involved in this initiative wish to ensure that the transfer is as safe and stress free as possible for the young people.

“Each agency present at the BeeSafe event used interactive scenarios and role-play exercises to encourage the pupils to think for themselves.  As the pupils prepare to start a new academic era it is expected they will undertake more personal responsibility and experience new situations.  BeeSafe will help them develop life skills they will require as they progress through the education system.”

Funded by the Public Health Agency, Lisburn & Castlereagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership and the Council’s Environmental Health Service each session provided important information to the young people on a variety of safety matters.

Councillor Gray MBE added: “It is excellent that local primary schools take the time to bring their pupils to this event.  On behalf of the Council, I would like to extend thanks to all the agencies involved over the course of the event; and I hope that they will continue to work with the Council’s Environmental Health Unit in future BeeSafe events as I believe this initiative is very beneficial to P7 pupils,” she concluded.

For further information or advice on safety please contact the Council’s Environmental Health Service on telephone 028 9250 9394 or by email to ehealth@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or log on to www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk