Other news in brief..

City of York Council is running two training courses for cycle trainers. A three day basic course will take place 10-12 February inclusive and a one day course of trainer training for adult and advanced cyclists will be held on 13 February.

The basic course is structured to enable trainees to carry out on-road training at primary school level, while the adult and advanced course includes assessment and training at all levels, including secondary schools. Both courses include practical and theoretical work and a bike is needed; though the course organisers can provide a pool bike if required.

The venue for the courses is 9 St Leonard's Place, York and they will run 09.30- 16.30 daily. The cost of attending the three day basic course is £225 per person and for the one day advanced course it is £75 per person. For further information or to book please contact Meike Jackson on 01904 551331 or by email, meike.jackson@york.gov.uk

Pubs and restaurants across Essex were urged to take an active role in helping to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents on the county’s roads over the 2002 Christmas and New Year period.

Premises serving alcohol were asked to display information about the Portman Group’s ‘I’ll be Des’ scheme, which encourages friends to nominate a designated driver – someone in their group who will abstain from alcohol and drive everyone home safely.

Road safety officers from Essex County Council teamed up with Essex Police and Chelmsford Borough Council to launch the campaign with a roadshow in Chelmsford High Street. Visitors were invited to test their accuracy by pouring a unit of drink and then comparing their estimated amount to a legal measure. They were also invited to try out an intoximeter machine.

Information about ‘I’ll be Des’ can be found at
www.portman-group.org.uk.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council will be represented at the 2003 Education show at the NEC, Birmingham in March. The council will present its range of road safety publications in the show’s publishing village, 13-15 March inclusive. Further details from John Billington, john_billington@sandwell.gov.uk

..and finally
Here’s a bit of fun for those of you who have good memories and have been involved with road safety for around 20 years or so!
The photograph below has been supplied by Janet Mills, Cheshire’s safe routes to school specialist. It’s a picture of a group of road safety officers at the training course run by RoSPA at Horncastle in Lincolnshire. Janet thinks the photograph was taken in 1984.

The challenge is – can you identify any of the people in the picture? Apparently one person is set to become a future chairman of LARSOA!
If you can identify anyone – or perhaps you are in the picture yourself – email newsfeed editor Nick Rawlings, nrawlings@stennik.com, and we will print it again next month and name as many people as we can.