Celebrations as school safety event wraps up 30 years of success
Thousands of school children in Telford and Wrekin – including 2,500 this year alone – have learned vital skills at a safety event which has marked its 30th anniversary.
Crucial Crew – led by Telford & Wrekin Council in partnership with the police, fire, NHS and charities – has this year celebrated three decades of equipping young people with the know-how to stay safe and well.
Aimed at pupils in Year Six, the three-week event at Telford College deals with the challenges facing this generation including vaping, knife crime, online safety and mental health, as well as road safety, the dangers of open water and effects of drinking too much alcohol.
Councillor Richard Overton, Deputy Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement said:
“For 30 years, Crucial Crew has been a shining example of what we can achieve through partnership working. It's inspiring to see over 2,500 children this year alone learning essential skills in such a fun and engaging way—skills that will stay with them for life."
Councillor Paul Davis, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Civic Pride said:
"Today’s world brings new challenges for our children and Crucial Crew rises to meet them. From online safety to mental health, it is tackling the real challenges our young people face today. The energy from the children is amazing and it’s great seeing them gaining the confidence and knowledge they need to thrive.”
Pupils from Dawley C of E Primary Academy said:
“I really liked it when we did the fire station workshop and had to say what the dangerous things were in the house and what we can do to make it safer. I also learned not to trust strangers.”
“We went to the water safety unit and it showed us the dangers of drowning and how we can help other people who are in danger.”
Council teams that helped deliver the event included road safety, safer and stronger communities and public protection. Key partners who supported included West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, as well as organisations like The Royal Life Saving Society UK and the NSPCC.
Rachel Wallace, NSPCC Local Campaigns Manager said:
“It’s our first time at Crucial Crew and it’s been great to be here for the 30th anniversary along with other partners.
“We were invited to Crucial Crew to talk about online safety and our sessions involved talking to children about what they enjoy doing online and things they can do to keep themselves safe and if something does go wrong online, who they can talk to. It’s nice for us to be included and share those messages with children and their teachers.”
Crucial Crew is delivered by the Telford and Wrekin Community Safety Partnership with additional funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Almost every school in the Borough takes part, making it one of the best attended in the country.