Year 6 pupils from primary schools across the Island will be learning important life skills when they attend the annual Crucial Crew week in June. The event, which has been run every year since 1992, involves almost 900 children visiting Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education to see a series of presentations with serious messages about safety, but delivered in a fun way. This year the event takes place from June 20th to 24th and will include contributions from Isle of Man Constabulary, Coastguard, Manx Utilities, Manx Gas, Department of Health and Social Care School Nursing Service, Road Safety Unit, Bus Vannin and St John Ambulance.

Manx Telecom has supported Crucial Crew for many years and will again provide informative, interactive presentations showing children how they can stay safe whilst online, and encouraging them to use the internet and mobiles safely and responsibly. All of the pupils who attend Crucial Crew will receive Manx Telecom goodie bags containing safety information, pens, and a Crucial Crew gift. Manx Telecom staff will also be making children aware of where they can find additional information about online and mobile safety, such as via the company’s Stay Safe Online guide (which can be downloaded at www.manxtelecom.com/onlinesafety) which is aimed at children up to 14 years old.

The police presentation will be an interactive group discussion focusing on being a good and honest citizen, helping each other, and discussing the consequences of anti-social or criminal behaviour. Manx Utilities, Manx Gas, and the School Nursing Service will be collaborating to present a pantomime starring Dame Dizzi-Aster delivering serious messages about the dangers around electricity and gas in the home, but in a fun way. Bus Vannin’s presentation focuses primarily on emergency evacuation of a bus, and general information about how to use buses, including details about Go cards. Children will learn about first aid from St John Ambulance, and the Road Safety Unit sessions will include learning about safe road craft and non-verbal communication, with a particular focus on equipping children with the skills they need to stay safe when travelling to and from school.

There’s also a ‘Safety Challenge’ competition sponsored by Shoprite in which pupils are asked to use what they have learned to create a leaflet to promote safety. The winners will receive a prize of a stationery hamper for their school, and the Crucial Crew Trophy.

Sergeant Wendy Barker, of Isle of Man Constabulary, is a member of Crucial Crew’s organising committee and commented: “Crucial Crew continues to be a valuable initiative in helping children learn important life skills. Over the years there have been many examples of children using the skills they learn in real-life situations which proves that the lessons learned really do help children to stay safe.”

Tim Crookall MLC, Minister for Education and Children, said: “We are grateful to all the many statutory and voluntary organisations that come together at Crucial Crew and give their time to ensure our Year 6 pupils leaving primary school and heading for secondary school receive important advice on how to stay safe in a variety of situations.”

For more information about Crucial Crew go to www2.sch.im/groups/crucialcrew/.   

Photo -  Representatives of some of the organisations taking part in this year’s Crucial Crew week are pictured at Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education. Front row, left to right, are Cathy Lord (IOM College); Kelley Corlett (Manx Telecom); Alison Cottier (Manx Utilities); Sgt Wendy Barker (IOM Constabulary); Katie Kneen (Dept of Health and Social Care); and Sarah-Jayne Sleddon (IOM Coastguard). Back row, left to right, are Gordon Edwards (Department of Home Affairs Road Safety Unit); Michael MacDonald (IOM Coastguard); and Stephen Caley and Brian Kinrade (both from Manx Utilities).