School’s out - and across the whole of Wigan Borough loads of activities are being laid on to ensure young people stay Safe4Summer whilst still having lots of fun!
And even though the classrooms are closed for the next six weeks, there’s still plenty of opportunities to learn something new. So whether young people want to sharpen their archery skills in Mesnes Park as part of Operation Windburn, learn body popping in Leigh or go wet and wild in a range of exciting canalside activities across Greenheart Regional Park, there’s bound to be something right up their street.
Over the summer, young people can get involved in youth action groups where they can make positive contributions to the local community or join youth clubs where they can network with other young people. Alternatively for those of a more energetic disposition, outdoor activities such as rockclimbing and windsurfing are also scheduled to take place, together with the ever popular X-Zones on Friday and Saturday nights.
But Safe4Summer is about more than just having fun and taking part in activities across the borough.
Led on by Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service, and covering all ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, the Safe4Summer campaign offers young people personal safety advice – with particular emphasis on how to be safe around fire, near water and on the road.
Safe4Summer also gets young people thinking about some of the issues that are important to them, from healthy eating and alcohol to sex education and bullying. And it also prompts them to consider the impact their behaviour could potentially have on the wider community – including the life threatening knock-on effects of making hoax calls to the emergency services.
Neil Gaskell, Fire Station Commander in Wigan, says:
"Sadly, the summer holiday period poses many potential dangers to young people – from the risks associated with the family barbecue, to the often irresistible but tragic lure of dangerous buildings and open water.
"In spring, the borough’s fire appliances were called to more than 500 deliberately set fires, including grass fires, each costing in the region of £1970."
"Our aim with Safe4Summer is to help everyone to enjoy this time of year safely and responsibly, whilst ensuring resources are available to respond to real emergencies."
The Safe4Summer campaign is supported by Linc Online, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust’s information site which is produced in partnership with the Council’s Youth Service and local young people. Officers from Greater Manchester Police (Wigan Division) and teams from Wigan Council’s Children and Young People’s Services are also supporting the campaign as part of their commitment to the multi-agency Building Stronger Communities Partnership.
"During the long summer break, young people who are out and about could find themselves involved in something that looks like it's just a bit of harmless fun," says Cllr Sue Loudon, Wigan Council’s cabinet champion for children and young people.
"But other members of the community might not agree! So whilst young people may think they’re not doing anybody any harm, their behaviour could upset other people, land them in trouble or put them at risk of personal danger.
"That’s why campaigns like Safe4Summer are so important, by signposting young people to information on personal safety and social responsibility, as well as telling them about all the positive activities available to them."
Superintendent Robert Lomas, of Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Division says:
"Safe4Summer is a great campaign that invites young people to get involved in lots of exciting activities over the summer holidays, whilst encouraging everyone to stay safe. We continue to target those engaging in anti-social behaviour, and we ask young people to look after their friends, have fun and stay out of trouble during the holidays."
Cllr Kevin Anderson, the council’s cabinet champion for neighbourhoods, adds:
"Engagement can be as beneficial as enforcement when it comes to tackling the issue of youth-related anti-social behaviour. We want to assure local residents that agencies are working together and constantly finding innovative and cost effective ways of combating the affects of ASB on local neighbourhoods. Safe4Summer is a great example of this in practice."
So make this summer memorable for the right reasons! Have some fun, keep out of trouble and stay Safe4Summer.
To find out more, log onto
www.safe4summer.com (external link) and follow the links.
