Pupils benefit from safety initiative

Crucial Crew, organised by Hartlepool Borough Council, took place at Hartlepool Power Station over two weeks.

Pupils from Years 5 and 6 took part in a series of workshops covering issues such as electrical safety, road safety, water safety, cybercrime, first aid and the dangers of vaping.

Supporting organisations included host EDF Energy, teams from Hartlepool Borough Council, Cleveland Police, HM Coastguard, Northern Power Grid, the RNLI and St John’s Ambulance (with funding from CURV, the Cleveland Unit for the Reduction of Violence).

Councillor Rachel Creevy, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Children’s Services Committee, (left) attends one of the Crucial Crew workshops

Councillor Rachel Creevy, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Children’s Services Committee, attended and said: “Giving children the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe on a day-to-day basis is so important. I would like to thank all supporting organisations for making it possible.”

Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said: “The Crucial Crew event has been a long-standing fixture of young people’s experiences in Hartlepool. Over 26 years it has ensured that young people, including my own daughter, have learned critical safety skills across a range of areas. I visited the power station recently to see this fantastic work and I pay tribute to everyone involved in this brilliant event.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Matt Storey said: “It was a pleasure to attend the event and see first-hand the fantastic training it offers, including that delivered by the St John’s Ambulance Young Responders team. First aid is an essential life skill for everyone to learn and be confident with. I would like to see Crucial Crew rolled out across the whole of the Cleveland area in the future so that even more young people can benefit from it.”