Welsh HSE prize winners awarded by pop idol

HSE Press Release E146:02 - 23 July 2002

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today announced the winners of the Welsh farm safety poster competition, which attracted thousands of entries. Children at rural primary schools throughout Wales were invited to design a poster highlighting the dangers that they may face on a farm.

Jessica Garlick, the UK's Eurovision Song Contest entrant and star of ITV programme "Pop Idol", presented the prizes to the talented youngsters alongside HM Chief Inspector of Agriculture, Linda Williams.

All of the entries were of a very high standard and Jessica Garlick said:

"This competition is a great idea. It's encouraging children to actively think about dangers that exist on the farm while also creating posters that will help to spread the safety message further. The posters are all excellent; they are all brightly coloured and have really strong safety messages."

The winning entry in the four to seven-year-old age category is Laura Winn, seven years old, from Ysgol Gynradd Pen-Y-Groes, Pen-Y-Groes, who produced a poster warning of the danger of climbing on farms. The overall winner in the eight to eleven age category is Jessica May Roberts, ten years old, from Ysgol Beuno Sant, Bala, who designed an excellent poster outlining several farm safety issues.

The six winners of the competition were awarded their prizes in a ceremony in the HSE child safety marquee at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, Builth Wells. Prizes included computers for the schools of the two first-prize winners, book tokens for the runner-up schools and personal prizes for all of the winning children.

Linda Williams, HM Chief Inspector of Agriculture, said:

"The Health and Safety Executive is extremely concerned about the amount of children who are tragically killed and injured on farms every year.

"It is essential that children are educated about the dangers that exist on the farm and know how to 'stay safe'. The poster competition is an excellent way of raising awareness and spreading the farm safety message.

"This is the second year of the competition and we have been overwhelmed by the number of entries, all of which have been of an excellent standard.

"We feel that the competition is fulfilling its aim of raising awareness of the importance of farm safety to children while also highlighting safety issues within rural communities."

Other initiatives include an advertising campaign in the farming press throughout the school summer holidays, child safety marquees at six of this summer's agricultural shows and distribution of HSE's child safety magazine 'Stay Safe on the Farm'.

Notes to editors

1. Child deaths since 1992 revealed:

• Forty-two children(under 16 years of age) have been killed in the past ten years. Three of them were classed as employees and 39 as members of the public
• Being struck by a moving vehicle was the main cause of death to children, accounting for 15 deaths (38% of the child fatalities). Other major causes include asphyxiation or drowning (nine deaths - 23%) and contact with moving machinery (four deaths - 10%).
• Of the 39 child deaths to members of the public, those aged between one and five years were most at risk. Twenty children (51%) fell into this age group. Ten children were aged between six and ten years and the remaining nine children were aged between 11 and 15 years.

2. The winners are:

Four to seven-year-old category:

First prize winner: Laura Winn, seven years old, Ysgol Gynradd Pen-Y-Groes, Pen-Y-Groes

Second prize winner: Gwenllian Llwyd, six years old, Ysgol Talgarreg, Talgarreg

Third prize winner: Nia Angharad Morris, seven years old, Fishguard Junior School, Fishguard

Eight to eleven-year-old category:

First prize winner: Jessica May Roberts, ten years old, Ysgol Beuno Sant, Bala

Second prize winner: Dafydd Evans, ten years old, Neyland Junior School, Neyland

Third prize winner: Aled Rhys Jones, nine years old, Irfon Valley CP School, Garth

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