4:40pm Thursday 19th November 2009
By Ben Perrin
TWO Swindon police officers have spoken to 1,000 pupils from three different schools about the importance of road safety.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) Lee Hare and Kate Jackson gave the talks to Orchid Vale in Haydon End, Catherine Wayte in Abbey Meads and St Francis C of E Primary School in Taw Hill over the last two days.
The pair gave youngsters a three-metre map – drawn and painted by PCSO Jackson – in an attempt to show road dangers.
The children could use Green Cross Code hedgehogs to mark the safe points to cross the make-believe road and they put stars on dangerous areas.
“The kids loved it,” said PCSO Hare.
“They could put the hedgehogs on the crossings and by lollipop ladies and stars on the areas posing dangers near parked cars and roadworks.
“This type of interaction is a great way of getting the safety message across.
“They also get to know who were are.
“This is part of our roles as PSCOs. If we can speak to kids from a young age this will help us get to know them when they are older during our evening patrols.”
Stranger Danger was another scheme spoken about by police.
It informed children that those in uniform like a police officer or a lollipop lady could be trusted.
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