All posts tagged: safety

Free safety lessons offered to 10 year olds

Free safety lessons offered to 10 year olds

18/04/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

Primary schools in Gloucestershire are being invited to bring their Year 5 pupils for a free visit to the county’s only safety centre, SkillZONE.

SkillZONE is delighted to be rolling out the offer to all 236 state primary, junior and special schools after a £35,000 initiative was agreed by Gloucestershire County Council to be used in the 2014/15 budget.

The Gloucester centre, which opened just over a year ago, has a mock village that gives groups the chance to experience 16 safety scenarios that enable young people to make decisions about staying safe.

Around a third of primary schools have been to SkillZONE and research has shown that a 2 hour safety tour at the centre is particularly useful to Year 5 pupils as it ties in with their PSHE curriculum.

SkillZONE will be contacting primary schools in five phases over the next three months inviting them to book a free trip for Year 5 students through its online booking system.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer Stewart Edgar says; “Keeping young people safe and the prevention of accidents and injuries is integral to our role. SkillZONE tackles this by teaching children how to make life-saving decisions whether that’s wearing a seatbelt or how to evacuate from a house fire.”

“I am thrilled we are able to provide these safety lessons to every Year 5 child in Gloucestershire and I believe they will leave us armoured with essential life skills which they can share with their families.”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said: “We know that children can gain so much from visiting SkillZONE and it’s great news that more classes could now benefit from its important safety lessons.”

All school groups will be taught about road safety, fire safety and hazards in the home and teachers will be able to choose a further 6 scenarios covering areas such as water safety, an internet cafe, a magistrates court or a shop.

To find out more information about SkillZONE visit http://www.skillzonetest.co.uk.co.uk/

 

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The Stay Safeatrons arrive at centre

The Stay Safeatrons arrive at centre

03/04/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE has become the new home for a band of trusty robots named the Stay Safeatrons.

The robots will help bring the SkillZONE experience to life and to deliver  safety messages to young people.

They were named the Stay Safetrons by Barnwood Junior school after they beat other Gloucestershire primary schools to win SkillZONE’s robot naming competition.

Larger child life-size cut outs awill be dotted around the village. Smaller robots will become part of the tours, hiding around the village for younger children to spot or used to identify danger.

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World Book Day celebrated at centre

World Book Day celebrated at centre

06/03/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

The King’s School based in Gloucester celebrated World Book Day by dressing as  their favourite book characters for their visit to SkillZONE this morning.

Twenty children aged 8 and 9 years learnt about safety in the; road, home, fire, water, building site/electricity, rail, park and bus scenarios.

Following their tour Gloucestershire’s new Chief Fire Officer Stewart Edgar was on hand to judge the best costume.

Gregory who dressed as Dennis the Menace was presented with a £10 book voucher as his prize and all the children got book erasers in their goody bags.

SkillZONE Manager Donna Potts says; “We would like to make the link between enjoying the wonderful adventures in a book and learning about safety at SkillZONE so they can lead an active and adventurous real life.

“We often talk about distraction as well so we will try to remind them that they can lose themselves in a story but must concentrate on safety when they are near roads or doing something at home.”

 

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Volunteer Day, Sat March 1st

Volunteer Day, Sat March 1st

07/02/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE, the Gloucester based Safety Education Centre, will be running a Volunteer Open Day on Saturday March 1st from 10am -12pm.

The event is being held to celebrate the great work of its current volunteers, to provide information for people interested in volunteering and to showcase SkillZONE to members of the community who haven’t been.

Volunteer Manager, Will Knight, says; “If you are interested in learning more about our safety education centre then you are welcome to come along. You are not obligated to volunteer but if you haven’t been to SkillZONE, it really is a wonderful resource which is worth seeing.”

SkillZONE is a state-of-the-art village which gives children and young people the chance to experience 16 real life scenarios, each designed to teach them how to recognise a range of dangerous situations such as on the road, in water, at home or online.

The morning will include a welcome with refreshments, the launch of SkillZONE’s new promotional video, a chance to chat to volunteers about what being a guide is like and a tour of SkillZONE’s village.

Volunteer and retired Firefighter Frank Prentice says of being a volunteer; “I find it interesting and it keeps you modern and in touch with young people. If a young person can remember just a few things about safety we tell them then it’s a good start in life. The feedback we have absolutely makes it worthwhile.”

SkillZONE is located next to Gloucester South Fire Station, Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, GL4 0AS. To register your interest in attending a tour email Skillzone@glosfire.gov.uk

 

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SkillZONE celebrates 1st birthday

SkillZONE celebrates 1st birthday

07/02/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

As SkillZONE marks its first birthday, figures show that more than 100 children have visited the county’s safety education centre every week during the school year.

The centre – a mock village that gives groups the chance to experience 16 real-life safety scenarios – was officially launched on 1st February last year and, since it opened:

  •  Classes from a third of the primary schools in the county have toured the facility;
  • Another 15,000 local people have attended events and training;
  • Courses have been run on issues including advanced motorcycle training, cycle training, speed awareness and school crossing patrols

To mark SkillZONE’s first birthday, cake was shared with classes from Oakridge Parochial School and Bisley Blue Coat CofE Primary School in Stroud, following a tour of the centre.

Maria Boon, head of prevention at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are delighted that so many schools and community groups across the county have taken up the opportunity to learn our vital safety lessons.”

“Young people’s safety is at the heart of what we do and SkillZONE is the perfect environment in which to teach it. We will continue to reach out to groups that might benefit from touring the centre – it could be a lifesaver.”

Adam Hanwell, 11, toured the facility with Crudwell Cub Scouts. His dad Tom Hanwell said the visit was particularly eye-opening because they had recently had a fire at home.

Tom said: “We came home to 6ft flames coming out of the chimney and all the emergency services were there. It was completely alien to my son and he couldn’t understand it.”

At the end of the SkillZONE tour he had a much better idea of what firefighters and emergency services do. It taught him exactly what to do if he was ever in a similar situation. Our scouts valued the trip so much we will definitely come again.

The centre has also been used for a wide range of community events including Older People�s Month, Black History Month, Child Accident Prevention Week and for safety courses for young mums.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said: “In the past year, we’ve had countless classes and community groups come through the doors of SkillZONE and nothing but positive feedback.”

“Many who have visited are already looking to return and I hope the centre will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Anyone who would like to know more or book a two hour tour should visit http://www.skillzonetest.co.uk.co.uk/ or put a date in their diary to attend a SkillZONE open day on Saturday July 19th.

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Celebrating 1 year of keeping Gloucestershire safe

Celebrating 1 year of keeping Gloucestershire safe

29/01/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

As Gloucestershire’s only safety education centre celebrates its first official birthday on February 1st 2014 figures show around 100 children a week have visited SkillZONE during the school year.

SkillZONE is a state-of-the-art village which gives people of all ages the chance to experience 16 real life scenarios, each designed to teach them how to recognise a range of dangerous situations such as on the road, in water, at home or online.

Based in Gloucester, the centre’s main visitor is schools with one in three primary schools in the county benefiting from a trip to SkillZONE since it opened.  Another 15,000 local people have attended SkillZONE events or used the building facilities.

To mark its first birthday balloons and cake will be given to Oakridge Primary School and Bisley Blue Coat Primary School on Thursday January 30th after their SkillZONE tour.

Maria Boon, Head of Prevention at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said; “We are delighted to reach this milestone and to be providing access to safety education to Gloucestershire.”

“Young people’s safety is at the heart of what we do and although there are more schools and community groups we would like to reach, I believe we are on the right track. If you haven’t been to SkillZONE, please put a date in your diary to come along to our open day on Saturday July 19th2014.”

A visit to SkillZONE with Crudwell Cub Scouts was particularly meaningful for Adam Hanwell, 11, who had recently experienced a house fire. His father Tom Hanwell says; “We came home to six foot flames coming out of the chimney and all the emergency services were there. It was completely alien to my son and he couldn’t understand it.”

“At the end of SkillZONE he knew and respected what the fire fighters and emergency services do. It taught him what to do in an emergency and he wouldn’t be afraid to call for help now. Our scouts valued the trip so much we will come again. “

The centre has also been used for a wide range of community events including Older People’s Month, Gangculture Day, Black History Month, a Women in Islam event, Child Accident Prevention Week and safety courses for young mums.

SkillZONE’s partner, Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, regularly enjoys using the venue to train drivers. It trains over 12,000 drivers each year and many come through the SkillZONE. Courses run at the centre include seminars for lollipop ladies and men, advance motorcycle riding courses, cyclist training, drivers caught using mobile phones, speed awareness courses and hosting special events such as the launch of its annual Anti Drink Drive Campaign or Road Safety Week. 

Used by all walks of life from clubs like Brownies to the Bangladeshi community, the 2 hours tours on safety in SkillZONE’s village are run by volunteers and Stroud Wardens.

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Safety messages reach rural schools

Safety messages reach rural schools

21/01/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

From rural road safety lessons to the importance of closing gates in the countryside, children from some of the county’s more remote schools are being given a safety lesson with a difference.

SkillZONE safety education centre has invited a number of rural schools to attend tours that teach lessons specific to their communities.

The week of special tours from 15th to 22nd January will cover topics such as preparing for bad weather conditions on country roads and considering what to do if a bus is cancelled or road is closed. The home and fire safety scenarios will also cover tips and advice for rural communities.
 
Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said: “We want to ensure that no school is excluded from learning the important safety lessons that SkillZONE has to offer. It’s great that the centre gives us the opportunity to cover a range of situations and educate children from all walks of life.”

Withington Primary School teacher, Sonia Beames, said: “We didn’t know what to expect when we came and we were really impressed. Because we are from a village I picked relevant scenarios for our safety. I thought learning about first aid was really helpful as some of the children are far away from an ambulance and the fire safety lesson was good too.”

Pupil William Saunders, 11, added: “It was really exciting, I have learnt quite a lot out of it. I liked the cell the best and I know when to replace batteries in the smoke alarm.”

Twelve schools from the Forest of Dean and Stroud, along with the outer areas of Cheltenham and Gloucester, are taking part in the week.

Photo: Pupils of Withington Primary School, Cheltenham, take up the opportunity to visit SkillZONE for the first time from left to right: Abbey Finch 10, Megan Hood 10, Penda Mungendje 10, William Saunders 11, Elliot Carter 10.

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Rural Schools Week

Rural Schools Week

09/01/2014 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE is running a special week for rural schools from January 15th to January 22nd 2014 in a bid to extend the reach of its safety lessons to schools which are further afield.

The week has been organised at the Gloucester safety education centre to teach specific messages to rural communities about staying safe and to give these schools the chance to experience SkillZONE.

SkillZONE’s whole ethos is to teach children and young people to stay safe by letting young people experience danger in realistic situations from a dark alleyway to an internet cafe or travelling to school.

 SkillZONE Manager, Donna Potts, says; “Rural schools are by nature more isolated. We believe gaining the experience of learning from our scenarios is particularly important because rural residents can sometimes feel more vulnerable in an emergency and these sessions may give them more confidence.”

“We recognise that many schools on the outer reaches of the county have not been to SkillZONE and we wanted to invite them to see what we have to offer.”  

The bespoke tour will cover road safety lessons for rural residents such as being seen while walking or cycling, preparing for bad weather conditions, considering what to do if a bus is cancelled or road is closed and the importance of closing gates on farms.

The home and fire safety scenarios will also cover tips and advice for rural communities. The schools visiting have then chosen five other areas in the village from the internet cafe, water safety, internet cafe, shop, farm, builders’ yard, train platform, police station and court room.

12 schools are taking part in the week and schools were invited from the Cotswolds, Forest of Dean and Stroud along with the outer areas of Cheltenham and Gloucester.

 

 

 

 

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New Year, New Volunteers

New Year, New Volunteers

20/12/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE is calling for more volunteers to join its Gloucester safety education centre in the New Year and make a difference to young peoples’ lives by teaching them to stay safe.

Run through Gloucester Fire and Rescue Service and Gloucestershire County Council, SkillZONE is a state of the art building with a life size street scene inside.

School groups, clubs and the wider community make decisions on how they should stay safe in nine different situations such as hazards in the home, stranger danger online, experiencing difficulty in water and how to travel safely in a car, a bus or walking. 

SkillZONE’s Volunteer Manager, Will Knight, says; “People make New Year’s resolutions to do positive things and we hope this year they will consider giving something back to the community by teaching young people about safety.”

“Our volunteers are magic, they really are and SkillZONE has developed with their help but we need more volunteers from around the county to be guides or work on reception and help out at events.”

Volunteer guides take groups on a 2 hour tour of the centre scenarios where they encourage visitors to identify dangers and come up with ways to avoid risk.

Candidates come from all walks of life and are required to give a minimum of two days per month. Along with on- the- job training volunteers will gain other skills from courses given on; safeguarding, first aid, health and safety and equality and diversity. 

Student Anastasiya Belova, 17, says; “I became a volunteer here through my school and I thought it was a really cool place. Everyone is welcoming and I just enjoy interacting with young people. It’s good for my personal development as well.”

Volunteer and retired Firefighter Frank Prentice (pictured) says; “I find it interesting and it keeps you modern and in touch with young people. If a young person can remember just a few things about safety we tell them then it’s a good start in life. The feedback we have absolutely makes it worthwhile.”

Volunteer Jim Dale, a retired RAF Wing Commander, says; “When you can install something meaningful into youngsters about danger and they sit up and take notice, it is rewarding. It’s just nice to put something back into society.”

Retired Firefighter Bob Allison adds; “Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service is a great thing and SkillZONE which is part of that family is a wonderful resource. I like giving something back and I like to use my skills to be of value.”

To apply to be a volunteer email volunteer@glosfire.gov.uk or phone 01452 834 150.

 

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School Governors Coffee Morning

School Governors Coffee Morning

10/12/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE is running a School Governors Coffee Morning on Thursday December 19th from 10am -12pm at its Tuffley centre.

It is a chance for governors to learn about Gloucestershire’s only safety education centre and experience the facility first hand.

The FREE event will include a welcome, a tour of the life size village and an opportunity to chat with other governors over a coffee or tea and Christmas mince pie.

SkillZONE is a fully interactive learning environment which teaches school groups and the wider community how to recognise a range of dangerous situations and stay safe.

There are 16 zones in SkillZONE, which cover a range of scenarios including road, rail and water safety, an internet cafe, as well as home and personal safety.  

Places are limited so please email michelle.vieira@glosfire.gov.uk to book.

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