SAFETY was the name of the game for more than 1,000 primary school children this week as they took part in a major initiative aimed at raising awareness of the dangers young people face.

Year 6 pupils from 39 Uttlesford primary schools attended a series of interactive sessions covering fire safety, road safety, drug and alcohol awareness, internet safety and bullying awareness.

It was all part of Crucial Crew – organised by the Uttlesford Community Safety Partnership, made up of the district council, Essex Police, Essex County Council’s road safety and drug/alcohol advisory teams, the NHS and Essex Fire and Rescue.

During the past week more than 1,000 10 and 11-year-olds went along to Clarence House, in Newbiggen Street, Thaxted, to learn more about staying safe.

Martin Ford, community safety officer at UDC, was at the heart of the five-day initiative. He told the Broadcast that he was delighted with the way the event had gone and was pleased to receive positive feedback from the schools who took part.

“The schoolchildren who came along were fantastic and were really keen to listen about what they were being told,” he said.

“I said to them that there was a lot of information to take in but to enjoy it and try and absorb as much as they could. The initiative was a big success.”