by Gráinne Connolly
Primary 5 pupils from across the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area are being urged to put their new pens, pencils, paint and crayons to extra special use and come up with prize-winning pictures to help promote road safety.
The competition, is organised by the local branch of Road Safety NI with support from the Fermanagh and Omagh Police and Community Safety Partnership, and in association with Erneside Shopping Centre.
It aims to increase awareness around road safety by encouraging pupils to think creatively about how to keep themselves and others safe on the roads.
To take part, pupils are invited to design an A4-size poster depicting one of the following key road safety themes; the importance of ‘Stop, Look and Listen’, being visible when walking, wearing a seatbelt when in the car and encouraging drivers never to use a mobile phone.
Councillor, John Coyle, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP said:
"Road Safety is a key priority for Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP. Events such as this help to highlight important road safety issues to this vulnerable age group. We are delighted to support Road Safe NI in this venture and wish all participating schools every success”.
Gerry Hughes from the Fermanagh and Omagh Road Safety committee also commented:
“Younger children are among the most vulnerable road users and it’s important to ensure they are road safe. Creative competitions like this have proven to be highly-effective in encouraging awareness, engagement and confidence. It’s also a great talking point for parents and teachers.
“On behalf of Road Safe NI and Erneside Shopping Centre, we hope that our youngest, inventive minds from right across the local area will be ignited by the challenge and we can’t wait to see the results.”
20 winning entries will be framed and displayed at Erneside Shopping Centre as part of Road Safety Week which takes place from Monday 20until Sunday 26 November. A £10 Erneside gift card will also be awarded to the 20 top designs chosen.
Jim Masterson, Centre Manager at Erneside, said:
“We are delighted sponsor this important initiative and we can’t wait to see the winning entries prominently displayed at Erneside as part of Road Safety Week this year.
"It’s a fun way of getting the pupils to think about road safety and I hope the competition helps make children more aware of the importance of being alert and careful when they are crossing or are near roads.”
To request an entry form for your school, email info@roadsafeni.com. All entries must be submitted by Friday 27 October 2017.
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