This year’s Guildford ‘Junior Citizen’ 2024 event ran from Wednesday, 12th June to Wednesday, 19th June 2024, and was held again at the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex, provided courtesy of Emma Beavis, Area Manager, Freedom Leisure.
Over 500 Year 6 children (10-11-Year-Olds) from 12 local primary schools across the borough took part in safety education sessions with British Transport Police, Thames Basin Heaths Partnership, Children and Family Health Surrey (School Nurses), Network Rail/ South Western Railway, Hope UK and Freedom Leisure.
The event taught children about important issues that are often overlooked by the curriculum, such as the dangers and consequences of criminal damage (trespass, graffiti, object throwing); anti-social behaviour (what it is and what it isn’t, who can cause ASB and how to report it); being wildfire aware in the countryside, what to do if a fire is encountered, how to make a 999 call; health and wellbeing (the importance of physical activity; sugar swaps); safety on the railways (safe places to cross, dangers of electricity and platform safety); drug and alcohol awareness; water safety (dangers, lifeguards, flags, safety signs, floating, what to do in an emergency).
Our VIP Day was Wednesday, 19th June and we were pleased to welcome the Mayor of Guildford, Councillor Sallie Barker MBE; Ivan Horsfall-Turner (Managing Director), Mark Learnihan (Business Development Director) and Lee Thomas (Regional Manager) from Freedom Leisure; Dan O’Riordan (Head of Security and Safety Assurance) and Ruby Dempsey (Crime & Security Admin) from South Western Railway; Councillor Catherine Houston and Lisa Barrett (Community Wellbeing Team Leader) from Guildford Borough Council, and Katie Beck (Head of Safety, Health and Environment) from Digital Intelligence, BAE Systems. Schools attending the VIP Day were Wyke Primary Academy and Rydes Hill Preparatory School.
Thanks as always to everyone who worked so hard to make the event a great success. Special thanks go to Melanie Main, General Manager, Jen Hayfield, Sports & Events Manager and all the team at the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex who made us very welcome.
