Many primary schools across the county are serving up a serious message alongside their school meals as part of Road Safety Week, which begins today.
Stay Street Wise with the Kid’s Kitchen has been devised by Cumbria County Council's Premises Unit, which supplies school meals to over 50% of Cumbria's youngsters.
A special road safety themed menu has been created and school crossing patrollers will also attend the lunches at participating schools. Pupils will be given a credit card-sized road safety code card containing a code of conduct for children to follow when they are using the roads.
The themed menu will be:
- 'Belt up in the back' pasta bolognaise
- ‘Wait on the kerb' garlic bread
- Traffic light salad (cherry tomatoes, yellow pepper and green lettuce)
- 'Be bright, be seen' mandarin sponge and custard
Cllr Ian Stewart, cabinet member responsible for road safety, said:
"The lessons children learn in their schools stay with them for life and it's important to teach them how dangerous roads can be from an early age. It will be an opportunity for children to get to know their school crossing patrollers better and also have a serious think about road safety. Allied to this is the message about healthy eating in our schools, which is always important to reiterate."
Media are invited to attend any of the following Stay Street Wise with the Kid’s Kitchen events, which will all feature visits by the school crossing patroller:
Wednesday 7 November - 12pm
Ghyllside Primary, Kendal LA9 4JB
Victoria Infant and Nursery School, Workington CA14 3XB
Thursday 8 November - 12pm
Bishop Harvey Goodwin, Carlisle CA2 4HG
Beaconside CE Junior School, Penrith CA11 8HG
Friday 9th November - 12pm
Seascale Primary, Copeland CA20 1LZ
St Georges CE School, Barrow LA14 2DX
Notes
- You can view the PDF versions of the road safety code cards advertising the event by following the link at the bottom of the page.
- The theme of Road Safety Week 2007 is child pedestrian and cyclist safety. Drivers are being urged to slow down around schools and homes and Brake, the road safety campaigners, are calling for measures to help protect children on foot and bikes.
- Road deaths among children under the age of 16 in Britain have increased by 20% since 2005. Child pedestrian deaths have risen by 13% and child cyclist deaths by 55% since 2005. In 2006, 169 children were killed on the UK's roads, of which 71 were pedestrians and 31 were cyclists. This compares to 141 children killed on roads in 2005, of which 63 were pedestrians and 20 were cyclists. A further 2,426 children were seriously injured on foot and bike –that’s seven children killed or seriously injured on foot or bike every day. Serious injuries include brain damage, paralysis, limb loss, burns and severe cuts. 11,368 children suffered slight injuries on bikes or on foot.
ENDS
Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 606332
Follow this link to view the road safety code cards