An annual event that delivers important safety lessons for primary school pupils across Shropshire, has been given a financial boost by Homes Plus.
The Shrewsbury & Oswestry Crucial Crew received a donation from us to help fund a two-week safety event for 11-year-old’s from up to 50 local schools.
The event is in its 30th year and was held at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, following 29 years at Nesscliffe Army Camp. It aims to provide children with essential life skills, tools and knowledge on how to stay safe in various situations, including in water, on farms, around electricity and on railways.
Workshops are provided by a variety of different agencies across the region, including West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, RNLI, NFU, Shropshire Council, School Nurses, Veolia, National Grid and Cadent.
The event is organised by a team of unpaid volunteers and our donation goes towards the event’s substantial running costs.
We employ around 900 people across Staffordshire and Shropshire, who are each given one day a year to volunteer and give back to their communities. Neighbourhood and tenancy officer, Lisa Newton, was one of those who used her ‘Giving back day’ to volunteer for Crucial Crew.
She said: “It was a pleasure to be part of this event. The day was very informative and engaging for the children who were taught about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, first aid and road and water safety.
“It’s nice to see an organisation making a positive change for young children and supporting a better and brighter future.”
The donation came from our My Community Fund, which offers grants to organisations, charities, and groups to help fund vital projects that make a difference in their communities.
Samantha Allcott, Director of housing at Homes Plus, commented: “Supporting the communities where our customers live and work is at the heart of everything we do.
“Our My Community Fund is designed to help organisations who are helping to make a difference in their community.
“Shrewsbury and Oswestry Crucial Crew is the perfect example of that, and we’re really delighted to have been able to support their amazing work for another year.”
A total of 1,400 children attend the workshops every year and this year saw the 35000th child go through the programme.
Geof Proffitt, deputy chairman and trustee of Shrewsbury and Oswestry Crucial Crew, added: “Crucial Crew’s ability to continue providing invaluable life skills to large groups of children in Shropshire is very much down to the support received from sponsors such as Homes Plus. About 1000 of the 1400 children attending this year are from Shrewsbury schools, many living with their families in Homes Plus properties. The information received feeds itself back to the very communities where the children live.”
The My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson. Local charities, voluntary groups and community organisations can apply online for grants from the Homes Plus My Community Fund by visiting https://www.homesplus.co.uk/help-and-advice/the-my-community-fund/