Sponsored scheme sets out to improve child casualty figures

On average, two pupils from every class are likely to be involved in a serious road accident before they reach the age of 17, according to Mark Large, organiser of a road safety campaign backed by Rotary Clubs of Great Britain.

"Our campaign is dedicated to doing something to improve this statistic," Mark Large says. "The principle is simple - a visible pupil is a safer pupil."  

The campaign features a series of exercises designed to fit with the national curriculum. These include Flora Watch, Animal Watch, Bird Watch, Grow a Sunflower (during the summer term), Insect Watch, and Road Safety (which can be undertaken in and around the school grounds).  

The Road Safety exercise links with national road safety campaigns and uses materials from the DfT Think! Road Safety campaign. It is also supported by LARSOA. "All the tasks are designed to be as inclusive as possible, and encourage book or Internet research where fieldwork cannot be carried out," Mark Large explains. "A pilot project is currently underway, which involves more than 80,000 pupils in over 500 schools."

As part of the scheme, participating pupils are given a high-visibility road safety product - a safety satchel for pupils of primary age, a safety sack for those of junior age upwards, and a winter hat for nursery age children. Participating teachers can also receive a high-visibility safety jacket for occasions when they are escorting children off site.

The scheme is backed and supported by Rotary, 3M and the police. Any excess funds raised by the sponsored exercises are distributed to charities by Rotary.

For further information visit the campaign website, www.safetysatchels.com.