Date: 22nd June, 2018
Conifers School, Weymouth have been working with crews from Weymouth fire station to educate the local community about the importance of clean air, to celebrate Clean Air Day 2018.
To encourage the children to think about how they can stay safe and well, the children learnt how clean air is important for their health and are promoting this in their local community by producing posters and entering a colouring competition.
Anne Newell, Watch Manager of Blue Watch, Weymouth Fire Station, who came up with the idea of the competition says “The firefighters here at Weymouth were concerned about the air pollution around the schools from vehicles and smoking materials. As children’s lungs are still developing, air pollution can have a bigger impact on children’s health than it does on adults.
She added: “There are a few things you can do to help: Walk or cycle instead of using the car (but don’t forget to wear your cycle helmet), try to avoid routes where you will be sitting in traffic jams and turn the engine off instead of idling. We are delighted that Conifers School have got involved in our competition and are teaching their families and communities that we can all do something small to help with air pollution.”
Seth Why, Head of Prevention for DWFRS says “I was delighted to award the winners of the competition their prizes, kindly donated by Asda and Safewise. It is great to see the children working so hard to help their community. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are committed to helping people make safer and healthier choices, all the entries were fantastic and Angel’s poster shows the importance of healthy lungs and the damage smoking and other air pollution can have. We are very thankful to Asda and Safewise for donating prizes and displaying the entries”
The winners were:
Reception: Leo and Imogen
Year 1: Olivia and Finley
Year 2: Tiana and Angel (the over all winner)
Year 3: Alesha and Bella
Year 4: Bronson and Evelyn & Sophie (joint entry)
Year 5: Toby and Jasmin
If you would like more information or help on how to stop smoking please contact Dorset LiveWell on 0800 840 1628 or 01305 233 105 for help. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Safe and Well Advisors can also offer help and signposting on staying safe in your home and cessation of smoking. If you would like to arrange a Safe and Well visit, please contact us freephone on 0800 038 2323 or go to dwfire.org.uk
For further information on Clean Air Day please go to www.cleanairday.org.uk