A TROWBRIDGE school has praised a programme designed to turn more than 1,100 young people from across Wiltshire into good citizens.

A multi-agency team from Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and the youth offending team organised two weeks of scenarios as part of the annual Junior Good Citizen scheme.

Taking place at the Scout Hut in Potterne, they were designed to engage young people in a fun learning environment and equip them with life skills as they make their transition from primary to secondary education.

A spokeswoman for Shalbourne School at Marlborough, said: “A good balance of active sessions with good interactive activities. The children learnt lots about new aspects such as knife crime and hate crime.”

A spokeswoman at Castle Mead School in Trowbridge said: “ It was a brilliant day for all. Everyone enjoyed and the scheme strengthened school-based learning.”

The programme educates children from Year 6 to safeguard themselves and help others.

Scheme co-ordinator PCSO Alan Aldersley-Byrne said: “It was a really successful event with 40 schools from across Wiltshire taking part. “The kids really enjoyed it and were engaged, asking the right sort of questions and hopefully having fun whilst learning how to keep themselves and those in their communities safe.

“Schemes like this are important as they help the students prepare for that transition into secondary school. We believe the subjects we covered with them during the scheme will help improve their understanding of how to stay safe, be responsible in our communities and who to report things to.”

The children took part in scenarios including personal safety, internet safety, hate crime and prison trailer, road safety and envirocrime, fire safety and weapons awareness.

Yasmine Ellis, from the fire service, said: “The children have benefitted from the awareness of how much technology on charge can potentially lead to fire risks. Their enthusiasm has been exemplary.”

Sebastian Williams of Wiltshire Council, said; “It gives young people a chance to be aware of the potential risks out in the local environment and we’re happy to bestow that safety information on an annual basis.”

Tina Giles, from Wiltshire Councils Road Safety Unit, said: “With Road Safety, we want to make sure that as young people gain more independence and are travelling near busy roads, they need to be aware of the dangers – Junior Good Citizen helps spread that message to as many primary schools as possible.”