Well Done Everyone!! who was opposed to the devastation that this terrible development would have caused.

The affect on children’s health and well being from breathing toxic air in and around our town could have been catastrophic for children now and for future generations.

To say thank you to everyone who campaigned and to the Stockport Councillors on the Planning Committee who turned the application down we made another video (Mr Craig Etchells…video king!) 

Stockport council’s planning and highways committee met on Thursday night (March 25) and was turned down 9 votes to 3.

The majority were of the opinion the ‘very special circumstances’ needed to justify building in the green belt were not proven, while others held that the boost to the economy and jobs was too good to turn down.

Opposition to the scheme was led by Coun Brian Bagnall who said he still had concerns over the impact on the road network and the loss of green belt and wildlife.

But Coun Bagnall’s proposal for refusal – on the grounds very special circumstances for developing in the green belt had not been proven – won the support of the committee.

All members voted to refuse the application, bar councillors Roy Driver, John Taylor and Andy Sorton who thought the development was a great idea..

Coun Roy Driver said the well-paid manual jobs the site would bring were ‘exactly’ what residents in his Reddish ward – and other areas of Stockport – wanted.

“I’m really unhappy with the impression that we don’t really want manual workers in Stockport, we only want people who want professional type jobs,” he said.

“A lot of people have lost their jobs because of Covid – they are desperate for these type of jobs.”

Coun Driver also voiced his fears Stockport could become a commuter town.

“We are losing jobs in Stockport and basically becoming a residential community where everyone moves outside to work,” he said.

Coun Bagnall was appointed lead member in the event of an appeal and has all our support in the fight to do what is right.

Thank goodness that common sense prevailed and the huge extension was turned down so that generations more can share the beauty of the Tame Valley, enjoy Clean Air and be protected from pollution .

Please watch the schools video then read and sign petition, tell friends and family before its to late!!

The Bredbury Parkway extension (that brought down the GM strategic framework because they are going ahead with this scheme) in neighboring Stockport goes to planning on Thursday making a mockery out of campaigning for clean air and children’s health! We all know Covid attacks respiratory systems and here we are making the air we breathe toxic so that lung damage in the future will be the outome.

It proposes to build on a huge swath of Green Belt for a massive warehouse complex in the middle of a beautiful valley.

30m from the River Tame bank and 30m high. Taller than Crown Point North

I went down at weekend and was shocked to see exactly where it was! If you go down Stockport Road as if youi are going to Stockport, continue past the Fletchers pub and continue down the hill to the bridge that crosses the river…the fields and woods to your left and round to the Arden Arms pub is where the warehousing will be! It will join with the warehousing complex that’s at the top of the S bend hill, opposite Allied Bakeries.

Its a huge area of field, ponds, mature woodland habits and in an area of outstanding natural beauty that is all Green Belt. Its actually within a metre of the river bank and taller than Crown Point North! Check out the size of the proposed site and count how many articulated lorry parking bays there are as well as for cars!!!! https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/quorum-details-430000-sq-ft-at-bredbury-gateway/

In any case, the development will result in more big lorries coming down Ashton/Stockport Road through Denton. The plan is to provide 239 parking spaces for artic trailers, including 133 for the two units that would be built first. It’s reasonable to expect that a third of the extra articulated lorries will come past homes in Denton and our school. This is not acceptable.

The thin purple line is where the extension is planned. Imagine the disruption and the view from the Denton side of the River Tame

We joined our 3 Denton South Councillors who have done a fantastic job campaigning to stop this hideous development. Cllr. Jack Naylor

Cllr George Newton

Cllr Claire Reid

The campaign to Save the Tame Valley at Bredbury Parkway has been gathering momentum since the protest march in 2019 Hundreds marched in unison recently in a quest to save Denton’s greenbelt.

Three separate marches set off from Haughton Green, Woodley and Crown Point North on Sunday, July 14, walking along routes before joining together at the Arden Arms pub.

The group were protesting against plans which would see the Bredbury Park Industrial Estate expanded into the Tame Valley.

Hundreds of residents joined the march to make their feelings known and spoke of desecration of natural beauty it would cause were the estate to be extended.

The walk was also attended by councillors and Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne. The proposed development sits on the boundary between his constituency and Stockport and he’s been a vocal opponent of the expansion since it’s announcement.

Writing in his column for the Reporter he called the Tame Valley “a real gem, both for our borough, and specifically for my heavily urbanised constituency”.

He said: “Forty-five years on, the river valleys are a vital green lung. They are of huge recreational importance, and of massive environmental importance too. That’s why I will always defend protecting our Tame Valley.

“But at the edges, the Valley is under threat. Nowhere more so than on the edge of Denton at Bredbury, where Stockport Council has identified land dropping down the V of the valley to the River Tame as a suitable extension for the Bredbury Industrial Estate. I’m vehemently opposed to this, and have been working with Labour Councillors in Tameside and William Wragg, my Tory MP colleague in the neighbouring Hazel Grove constituency (where Bredbury is located), to stop this proposal.”

He says the expansion will destroy the ambience of the Tame Valley – especially at Hulme’s Wood and Haughton Dale Local Nature Reserve.

One of the main points of contention for both the protestors and politicians is the low bridge at Junction 25 Bredbury. This is the closest motorway exit to the industrial estate but a low railway bridge means that HGV traffic will be forced to come off the junction before at Denton and travel through urbanised areas to reach its destination.

Denton South councillors have also had their say, praising the spirit of the protestors. In a joint statement, councillors George Newton, Claire Reid and Jack Naylor said: “The march was a fantastic display of community spirit from across Haughton Green and Denton and we are right behind residents in opposing this development.

“We will be looking out for the revised draft of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework  and look forward to continuing our work with local residents to ensure the area is protected for generations to come.”

Because of the logistics of the proposal and a low railway bridge bridge that articulated lorries can’t get under as they come off the motorway in Bredbury, all the traffic will have to come through Denton. That means bringing articulated lorries past our school and all their pollution to our door. If you see the big articulated lorries coming through and going to what was Sunblest / Allied Bakeries its because of the same reason. We have joined our MP Andrew Gwynne and Denton South Cllrs Newton, Naylor and Reid. to protest at the impact on clean air, health and the devastation of the countryside. We have had the children out with their Andrew demonstrating with their placards about the impact on them and their futures, that decisions taken now will have on them.

The plan will turn the Tame Valley Green Belt into an industrial estate and lost form ever affecting all neighbouring Green Belt

The application will eventually go to the Secretary of State because it’s on Green Belt land. Stockport planning officers have proposed that its accepted by Councillors on the Planning Committee and passed…. with Denton paying the diabolical consequences.

We have produced a short video, link below and petition to protest so planners see sense and show the Secretary of State what an impact this will have if it is agreed. The impact on children’s health will be huge particularly in our area. One that is already well over legal limits for air borne pollution and particulates because of the motorways, major A roads and traffic congestion.

https://russellscottblogs.net/stop-bredbury-parkway/

Please sign the petition and share the clip via social media to get as many people involved as possible before its to late!

Thank you

Here’s an article that appeared in the Tameside Reporter

SCHOOL, MP AND COUNCILLORS JOIN FORCES TO OPPOSE BREDBURY PARKWAY EXTENSION

A Denton Primary School have put together an emotional video to oppose the controversial extension of a Stockport Industrial Estate.

Russell Scott Primary School and their headteacher, Steve Marsland, have unveiled the video urging Stockport Councillors to vote against the proposed Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate expansion on Thursday [25 March].

Plans submitted to Stockport Council outline a 1,250,000 square foot expansion to the current site, taking it deep into the Tame Valley on the border with Tameside.

The school and Denton councillors say it will have a huge effect on the area, with traffic having to come through denton to access the site due to a low bridge in Bredbury.

The video shows students, alongside their MP Andrew Gwynne and councillors George Newton, Claire Reid and Jack Naylor, asking people to sign a petition against the plans.

Headteacher Steve Marsland said: “The Bredbury Parkway extension that goes to planning on Thursday would be building on huge swathes of Green Belt for massive warehouse complex.

Because of the logistics and a low bridge that articulated lorries can’t get under, all the traffic will have to come through Denton and past our school.

“We have joined our MP and Councillors to protest at the impact on clean air, health and the devastation of the countryside. We have had the children out with their MP demonstrating with their placards about the impact on them and their futures that decisions taken now will have.

“The impact on children’s health will be huge particularly in an area that is already well over legal limits for air borne pollution and particulates.”

Denton’s Labour MP Gwynne and Hazel Grove’s Conservative MP William Wragg have issued a joint statement against the plans.

It said: “We call on the Planning Committee to reject this damaging application. The proposed giant warehouses would destroy our green belt and ruin the Tame Valley.

“This plan is not a solution for employment. The trend is for warehouses to use automation and robotics to reduce jobs. This proposal would flatten the countryside in order to create opportunities for robots.

“Hundreds of articulated lorries would be let loose on local roads. The 24-hour operation of the site will create noise and light pollution and disturb residents of adjoining homes. A proposal to protect local residents by putting a five metre fence between them and the site is unacceptable.

“This development must not be allowed to go ahead.”

Speaking separately, Gwynne MP added: “The need for new giant logistics sheds in Stockport has not been established. Indeed, there are better sites for this type of development in Greater Manchester.

“The plan would completely destroy the openness, ambience and coherence of the Tame river valley at this location. In my opinion, there are no ‘exceptional circumstances’ for the release of green belt at this important buffer between Stockport and Tameside.

“The application should be refused.”

First of its kind ‘clean air for schools’ programme launched at Russell Scott Primary in Greater Manchester

“We’re proud today to be launching the ‘Clean Air for Schools’ programme here in Greater Manchester. Drawing on research through our new air quality supersite and Manchester Urban Observatory, we’re excited to be a part of a truly cross-sector collaboration that brings together the skillsets of the private sector, charity, local public sector and our University right here in our city.”

Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility

F

The unique collaborative project will clean the air children breathe to a level that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Air pollution causes an estimated 1,200 deaths a year in Greater Manchester alone and has been found to cause heart and lung diseases. It can even be linked to low birth weight and impeded child development.

The children were fantastic! A large number of guests joined nearly 500 children in our school hall for this very special launch. The Junior PCSOs who have done so much to campaign for clean air around our own school took part in the presentations and demonstrated what they do every morning and afternoon at drop off and pick up informing parents of the dangers of particulates on children’s health. Great job!

Year 5 then joined us for some clean air based activities and discussions with our special guests to hear first hand how passionate our children are about their Clean Air campaign and making a difference for other children.

Here’s the day in pictures:

‘Urgent threat’

The scheme involves all classrooms except one in each school being fitted with air purifiers.

Researchers will then work with teachers to compare all classes, focusing on pupils’ behaviour and concentration levels using puzzle tests.

Breathing tests will also be carried out.

Mark Leftwich, director of personal health at the Philips Foundation said: “This urgent threat to our children’s health requires an urgent response.”

Mark Leftwich, director of personal health at the Philips Foundation

Chris Large, of Global Action Plan said the “health trauma of dirty air is clear” and expects the results to help produce a “clear framework for action” to reduce pollution.

Chris Large, of Global Action Plan

Dr Julian Skyrme, a research partner at the University of Manchester said: “The programme will add to the growing body of research into air quality and its impact on communities.

Dr Julian Skyrme, a research partner at the University of Manchester

“Through this collaboration we will be able to make a practical difference to what schools and communities across the UK can do to tackle air quality.”

The findings of the scheme will be shared with schools across the country along with any recommendations to help improve air quality.

Thee are things we can do and we need to wake up to the silent killer that lurks around our schools.

Closing roads around schools to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times has cut toxic nitrogen dioxide levels by up to 23 per cent, research has found.

Pollution sensors were installed at 18 primary schools in the London boroughs of Brent, Enfield and Lambeth in September. Half had introduced “school streets” in which traffic was temporarily banned and the other half had no restrictions.

All schools need Clean Air Zones protecting children especially during drop off and pick up times improving children’s health immediately. Parents and experts now want the ban rolled out across the country, as figures show one in four cars on the road at peak times are on the school run.

The British Lung Foundation backed the call. Director of policy and ­communications Alison Cook said: “Toxic air is linked to asthma and chronic chest problems, and damage to the lungs in early age is irreversible.

“That’s why illegal levels of pollution around schools is hugely worrying.”

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s daughter Ella died at the age of nine from an asthma attack she believes was caused by illegally high levels of air pollution near the youngster’s school in Lewisham, South East London.

She also called for a nationwide ban on school runs to prevent more deaths and “stop Ella from dying in vain”.

Rosamund said: “The UK has the highest rates for asthma deaths in Europe. Pollution levels can soar by as much as 50% by cars left running, commonly occurring at school gates across the country.

“I can’t stress enough how damaging this is to our ­children’s health. The only way we can really make a difference is for uniform rules across the country.”

That’s why at Russell Scott we encourage parents not to drive or park near school and allowing their children to walk,cycle or scoot to school.

At Russell Scott we encourage everyone to lead a healthy, active lifestyle in the broadest sense and prioritise the ‘whole child’ across a number of initiatives. Integral to the health and well-being of the whole child and often overlooked and ignored is the environment in which we all live and work.

All schools are affected by the health threat from air pollution posed by road transport emissions many where local air pollution levels regularly breach EU legal limits and considered a public health crisis across the UK. Toxic air is now the biggest environmental risk of early death, responsible for one in nine of all fatalities. It kills 7 million people a year, far more than HIV, tuberculosis and malaria combined,. Dr Maria Neira, the World Health Organisation director with responsibility for air pollution, is blunt: “It is a global public health emergency.”

To combat pollution and inconsiderate parking around our school the children encourage walking, cycling and scooting and leaving the car at home whilst educating parents in their conversations with them about the dangers to health of pollution in our town. Parents were unaware that people in cars are often exposed to more pollution than those outside, as fumes become trapped in the cabin.

Changing the cultural mind set of motorists around the school is an important issue at every school and Russell Scott is no different so we are engaging the whole school and our local community working together to improve health outcomes for all. So it was great to meet up with Rosslyn Colderley, Director for North, SUSTRANS and share ideas during Bike  To School Week. We were joined by That’s Manchester TV who captured the conversation.

SUSTRANS is a fantastic charitable organisation promoting the vision of a society where the way we travel creates healthier places and happier lives for everyone. Which is exactly what Russell Scott are trying to do too so it was great to join the SUSTRANs team to promote Bike to School Week recently on That’s Manchester TV and putting the message out! Check out the children putting their opinions across to That’s Manchester TV.

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“Will we have to wait until this generation of children can take charge themselves before we see any real change?” Children have a voice and at Russell Scott we hear it load and clear and we provide them with a platform to share their opinion and start to change ‘their’ world starting in our own community.

Great to share a peddle and autographs with Chris Boardman  at the new Tameside Cycle Trak at Bennett Street https://www.tameside.gov.uk/Newsroom/Making-cycling-child%E2%80%99s-play

 Its amazing what you discover just pedaling around! 

“Our society faces some profound challenges. From climate change and air pollution to physical and mental health crises, the pressures on communities across our four nations are growing. There is no silver bullet but the work of SUSTRANS and our partners provides an essential contribution to tackling the challenges of our time.”  LYNNE BERRY, SUSTRANS CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

SUSTRANS have a great website full of fantastic information from how to maintain your bike to how to teach your child to ride with some fab top tips. Try it out through these top tips: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/campaigns/bike-to-school-week-2019/

The schools commitment to encourage everyone to lead a healthy, active lifestyle in the broadest sense is unrivaled and we recently gained the accolade of Greater Manchester’s School of the Year for our Commitment to PE and Sport over many years embedding an active lifestyle into the work of the school.

There is another side to the commitment to an active life style and that is the children’s passionate commitment to their community improving the health of all, winning hearts and minds and taking direct action against air pollution that is both challenging and inspiring.

We have recently installed bike and scooter frames and encouraged the children to cycle, scoot and walk to school….and its working cutting down on pollution, increasing children’s fitness whilst being an enjoyable way to journey to school.

The children are actively cleaning up pollution levels around school and tackling the harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide that they breathe in as they walk to school in their own inimitable way. To this end the Junior PCSOs were also an integral part of setting up and publicising WalkRide Denton an initiative again promoting a healthier option to the car….. walking and cycling across Greater Manchester to keep the community active whilst cutting down on pollution.

GM Clean Air Plan, TfGM and CleanAirGM campaigns are using Russell Scott’s initiatives to promote clean air proposals and raise the profile of this ‘ Public Health Crisis’ because the school is making a discernible difference to children’s lives, bringing health benefits to the wider community through their ground breaking Junior PCSO initiative whilst inspiring others to do the same.

Our local streets and school grounds are being developed and dedicated to wellness and positive mental health, improving air quality with quiet reflective areas, hanging baskets, green walls and troughs on the streets transforming our town center school and lifting the well-being of the local community.

Why Bother….What can one primary school do? The biggest single environmental cause of death is air pollution. Air pollution causes chronic conditions, and shortens lives. In short: air pollution kills. Clean air saves lives. And it’s worse than that – because the impact of air pollution is even bigger on children, as their lungs are growing.

We can all do something to reduce pollution and our children at Russell Scott are doing just that with our original Clean Air initiatives and encouraging others to do the same. We teach them about the local environment and the huge environmental disasters threatening our planet whilst providing the opportunity to take direct action themselves within their own community to make a difference no matter how small. We all have a part to play. Cycling or walking short journeys instead of driving not only helps our own health, it reduces the health risk to others by helping cut air pollution. One child riding their bike to school, leads to 2,3 4….50 children riding bikes, scooting or walking to school…every little bit helps. The children also grow at Russell Scott educated about the threats posed to the Planet and are driven to make the changes necessary to save it as reflected in the speech by Greta Thunberg to the United Nations. On Monday 23rd September 2019, Thunberg gave a blistering speech at the climate summit in New York, criticizing world leaders for their “betrayal” of young people through a lack of action on the climate crisis:  “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she said. “The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this.”

A culture change is needed if the school run is going to become civilised….. up to date information and scientific facts not opinion needs to be used to inform drivers what pollution is doing to our children’s health. They didn’t know…until the Junior PCSOs told them…. that they to are often in  more danger from exhaust fumes in the car than walking

The Chief Medical Officer reports that the UK’s national air pollution limits should be driven by an ambition to protect health, which is why the World Health Organisation air quality guidelines should be adopted into UK law.

So Russell Scott children are choosing 2 wheels or their own two feet and transforming the environment together.

White crosses row on row bathed in red

   Throughout the Autumn term the children of Russell Scott,  have been engaged in a memorable project, studying WW1 a hundred years since the guns fell silent in 1918 . From nursery through to Year 6 the children have been engaged in some memorable and thought provoking moments and preparing a major exhibition of what they have learnt and an artistic interpretation of their thoughts and feelings.

The exhibition of their work celebrated and remembered the lives and times of the World War 1 era whilst commemorating the WW1 100 that was an international focus.

The Remembrance Day Assembly 11-11 2019As part of the artistic representation each class has taken a silhouette, cut from marine ply depicting life in 1918 and given it their own poignant artistic and creative message.

Our exhibition ‘Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times’ was a memorable reflection of how we are engaging a generation of children in remembering the sacrifices of the past that secured the freedoms of the present.

We celebrated the freedoms of today by opening our permanent WW1 memorial ‘Russell Scott Lest We Forget’ reflected in the steel and Perspex soldiers alongside an evocative centrepiece complete with a rusted patina  that the school community will pass everyday on their way into school. The memorial blessed by Father John Kershaw and opened by the Civic Mayor of Tameside Cllr Denise Ward and the Executive Leader of Tameside Council Cllr Brenda Warrington will act as a point of remembrance for future generations as they pass through the school.

The school grounds were up lit with red lights silhouetting the trees against the dark sky giving an eerie and sombre feel as guests walked towards the school. At the entrance is the permanent memorial Russell Scott Lest We Forget that you pass on your way down to the exhibition past rows of white crosses dramatically placed on the lawns to the front of the school washed with in a sea of red. The school has images of falling poppies and the faces of fallen soldiers filling the walls with huge projected images. With sandbags at the entrance the tour of school takes you past pictures and poems, models and paintings of various WW1 topics the children have studied. The main hall is in darkness as the audience files into the main exhibition space. The sounds of artillery fire fills the air and from a rumbling crescendo of noise and images of the terror of war and sacrifice projected on the walls one by one the silhouettes of various WW1 scenes or figures light up to reveal artistic interpretation of families, soldiers, animals and reminders of extraordinary times.  Words cannot reflect the drama of children’s work depicted in this way but there was hushed silence as the exhibition unfolded.

A poignant reminder of the sacrifices ordinary people made and continue to be made lays in the story of Russell Willis, the son of the first headteacher of Russell Scott Memorial School. Russell took the name of the benefactor and founder of the school Russell Scott and attended the school in the 1890s. He later graduated from Manchester University with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Applied Chemistry. On 20th September 1914 as part of the first expeditionary force he proceeded to the Western Front via Southampton attached to lst Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.

Russell Willis – Life and Times

Barely a month since Russell had embarked for the Western Front he was involved in a bloody and ferocious battle approximately three and a half miles north east of Neuve Chapelle, showing his bravery by leading his platoon in the recapture of a trench and two 18lb. guns. Lieutenant Willis, in the charge for the trench and guns, was fatally wounded and his last words were, ‘Have we retaken the guns, Corporal?’ He was buried by the Royal Irish Rifles.

Russell Willis was killed in action on the 25 October 1914, aged 19 years, and was buried in the Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery.  Two poppies from the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London adorn the foyer of school and again add a poignant reminder for the children of a brave young man who once trod the path that they themselves journey today.

We can assure you that the children of Russell Scott will not forget those that made the ultimate sacrifice and hold great respect for our Armed Forces.

We have erected a permanent installation in the grounds  – Russell Scott Lest We Forget – 1918 – 2018 that we will pass every day on our way into school.

The area was fenced and wild flower seeds scattered over the area and 4 poppies were planted. The memorial was opened by Tameside’s Civic Mayor Cllr Denise Ward and the Executive Leader of the Council Cllr Brenda Warrington and blessed by Father John Kershaw following a service conducted in the school grounds.

Tameside Council’s Public Health Annual Report, which can be read at www.tameside.gov.uk/publichealthreports and includes a short animated video, describes how air quality is a re-emerging 21^st century public health threat. It aims to raise awareness of the risks and identify what people can do to limit their contribution and exposure.

Yesterday (June 21st) was Greater Manchester’s second Clean Air Day – part of a national day of action to raise awareness and drive change.

Residents were asked by Transport for Greater Manchester to make pledges on what they can do to help make our air cleaner – from leaving the car at home and using public transport/cycling/walking more to car sharing. Tameside Council staff took to social media to share their pledges and help inspire others.

Air pollution can play a part in poor health, including breathing illnesses, heart disease, stroke and even some cancers. It’s estimated to contribute to the premature deaths of up to 2,000 people in Greater Manchester each year.

Cllr Warrington said: “It was wonderful to see the children enjoying themselves outdoors and also promoting Clean Air Day’s important message: that we need to reduce air pollution and improve air quality so ourselves and future generations can enjoy healthier and happier lives.

“Air pollution is a real health danger that affects us all – but we can all take simple actions to improve the air we all breathe, from walking, cycling and using public transport more to turning the engine off when parked.”

Russell Scott has already held assemblies on air quality and campaigned on what can be done to reduce air pollution – such as not leaving the engine running when parked up.

Russel Scott Headteacher Steve Marsland said: “We were delighted to involve our community in Clean Air Day and our fete was a great success in getting our pupils out in the fresh air and spreading important messages on what can be done to improve air quality, particularly around school.

“We are building a ‘Green Zone’ around our school as children’s lungs are affected 30 per cent more than adults by car emissions and pollutants – we have to improve air quality around schools and children for their health and wellbeing.”

Heatons North Councillor Alex Ganotis, Greater Manchester Combined Authority lead for environment, green spaces and air quality, said: “Our young people are one of the groups most affected by poor air quality. In many parts of Greater Manchester, children walking or being driven to school are breathing in air that’s harming their health. We all need to take personal action to help clean up our air and, for many people, that means thinking about doing the school run differently.

“It’s great to see schools across Greater Manchester joining in activities on Clean Air Day. I’m sure events like this are really helping to raise awareness and encouraging children and their families to walk, cycle and take public transport where possible.”

The response from schools all over the country to the Junior PCSO project has been overwhelming as has the media interest.

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To help run your own campaign I’ve put together a short guide to accompany the attached video detailing the impact and the press coverage following the story of our campaign and its impact.

The project was initiated by the school for the school community and the proposal was supported by the Police and the Council.

All schools seem to have the same problems…problems caused by their own communities. Here are a few pictures to show that we were no different and it was inherent danger and health issues from vehicle emissions that drove us to do something about inconsiderate parking has on the children.

Invariably it is the school’s own parents who cause the hazards and dangers around all our schools so we need to build strong relationship with them when asking for cooperation and engagement. Russell Scott is a town centre school surrounded by busy roads, a motorway intersection, retail park and very little designated parking. It is in our children’s best interests that we keep them safe and healthy ….so you need their parents on board and supporting the initiative.

We began the initiative by holding an open meeting after school to which the Community Police Officer and Highways Engineers were invited along with parents. It was made as informal as possible and a conversation about how together we could keep the area around school safer and healthier began. From freshening up road markings to encouraging motorists to turn off their idling engines, to parents taking a lead through to requesting the initial support of the Police, PCSOs and Traffic Enforcement in the campaign to tackle hazardous parking.It was decided that to have parents patrolling the streets may antagonise other motorists and result in more conflict even though parents were well up for the challenge. We decided that the children were the best ones to ‘encourage’ (embarrass in some cases) their parents into being more considerate about parking, road safety and pollution and encouraging them into making different choices like walking to school.

A poster competition was held and the best entries would be used to publicise the campaign.

The children were chosen, 12 Junior PCSOs in all from the School Council, confident children and one or two who needed a confidence booster.

We ordered road side traffic signs from: www.signs2schools.co.uk  and these were placed outside school each morning as a reminder to park away from school. But without further intervention the sign were ignored and were actually parked against! So the Junior PCSO’s jumped to action.

High Vis tabards were purchased and screen printed by a local shop as were the caps sporting the school logo and there they were kitted out and easily recognisable as Junior PCSOs.

Traffic Enforcement pouches were purchased off EBay (search parking tickets) and advice tickets the size of the pouches were printed off and slotted inside. We also printed off advice tickets and used them without pouches after the initial high profile start had had the desired effect. These are all available as PDfs to print off and use and are the correct size.

Printable PDF Version

Printable PDF Version

Printable PDF Version

Printable PDF Version

Printable PDF Version

Letters were sent out to parents explaining what the campaign was aiming to do and what to expect as we sought their cooperation and understanding.

In the meantime, all the children had been spoken to in assembly by a PCSO Traffic Officer, Police Officer and the Councils lead on Clean Air and Pollution and the Junior PCSOs were introduced to the rest of the school in a whole school assembly to give it a high profile in school.

These messages were reinforced in class and during lessons. The children were well briefed on the danger of leaving engines running on their health and even began telling their own parents off well before the campaign had begun! Education or embarrassment we don’t mind as long as it’s successful!

The children’s understanding and engagement was the key to success; as was educating the school community on the dangers to their own children from the emissions from their own cars on their own children’s health.

The children’s posters were printed onto A3, as were hard hitting posters we made ourselves and were laminated, hole punched and cable tied to the street furniture and the schools fencing the morning the campaign began. There are printable versions of these posters within this post.

On that first morning our Community Police Officer, PCSO and traffic enforcement accompanied the children out onto the streets outside school; and of course me, their headteacher. It needs that commitment each morning and afternoon from senior members of staff to build up the rapport and banter with the parents, to keep it light hearted but serious because the majority of parents are on your side and that of common sense. They certainly don’t want to be part of the problem and with the children offered advice in a charming and mature way the parents listened and engaged. I can’t stress strongly enough about your commitment supporting the children and supporting your campaign. You will get out what you put in so its important that you are their speaking with parents and reflecting the ‘seriousness’ of the initiative to both the children and the parents.

That vast majority of parents were very considerate and listened to the children’s advice with good grace and turned off their engines or moved away from the front of school, off double yellow lines and parked more considerately. Within a few days the streets around school were free from cars parking inconsiderately with lots of families choosing to walk to school and leaving the car at home. This actually grew and grew and now the majority of children are walking to school which is fantastic!

Of course there were some drivers who ignored the children’s advice and the mocked up traffic enforcement notices and this was where the Policemen stepped in and actually issued ’official’ parking tickets….but only two!

Our parents are fast learners!

We then tackled the two disabled parking bays outside the school and eventually the children’s advice and their consistency…their confidence in approaching motorists is admirable….as they wore down the persistent offenders with their advice and request to be considerate and they now choose to park well away and walk the short distance to school!

The response to the children from parents has been phenomenal. The compliments on rainy days and sunny days alike have kept them going and their resilience has been admirable. They’ll be well rewarded don’t you worry!

After a few weeks the need for enforcement tickets were few and far between so we swopped them for Thank You stickers that we had printed with our message and logo on. The children gave parents and children a sticker whilst saying thank you to them for walking to school.

Hopefully this tour through the campaign will help you set up your own Junior PCSO scheme and have as greater effect on the health of your school community as it has on ours.

Please remember it worked for us because it was the school and its community that initiated it and appealed to our parents. I don’t believe that the Council or Police can have anywhere near the effect going through down the formal enforcement route than the education and engagement route that taking control yourself can bring. It’s your community, fight for it.

If you need any further help or advice please don’t hesitate to call we’d be only too happy to help if it helps you to keep the children safe and healthy.

We now plan to improve the environment around the school, using planters, hanging baskets and using greener to improve air quality as well as wellness and feeling good coming into school. Every bit helps!

Good Luck with improving your own community.