30 November 2022
At this year’s Winter Fair in Builth Wells, Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths launched a new bilingual farm safety publicity campaign targeting primary-age school children in Wales.
Produced by the Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP), a collaboration of some of the key rural stakeholder organisations in Wales, a short video together with two colourful A4 workbooks aimed at children aged from four to seven and from seven to eleven years old, will encourage these age groups to learn about the importance of farm safety and protect themselves from some of the most common hazards on farms.
The dangers of moving vehicles, falling from heights, slurry tanks and getting too close to animals are just a few of the ‘high risk’ areas that will be highlighted in the new campaign where hard-hitting facts will be easily understood through the highly engaging, informative video as well as the workbook puzzles, word-searches and quizzes. Each workbook will also contain a ‘Farm safety emergency plan’, which will encourage youngsters to sit down with older family members to complete and display this in a visible place, serving as a daily reminder of ‘how to stay safe’.
The Minister, who was introduced by well-known television presenter and WFSP ambassador Alun Elidyr, explained that although farms can be a fantastic source of learning, both inspiring and informing youngsters to learn where their food comes from and to respect animals and nature, it is essential that they are made aware of the many hazards too.
“Farms are wonderful places for children to grow up and provide great experiences for them.
“However, farms can be dangerous places too and tragically, accidents relating to children continue to occur on farms here in Wales year after year – each one a heart-breaking tragedy that can devastate families, friends and rural communities.
“It is critical that we all work together to do all we can to raise awareness of this important subject amongst young children and their families and I am therefore delighted to launch these important new resources for our primary school children,” said the Minister.
Alun Elidyr thanked the Minister for the Welsh Government’s continued support of the Wales Farm Safety Partnership as the industry works together with communities, stakeholders and families to try and create awareness and reduce the heart-breaking statistics that destroy farming lives year after year.