Ref: PR1456
Date: 24/07/2007

An end of term open day is being held in Sandal Magna Junior and Infants School on Wednesday 25 July to celebrate the success of a project to highlight community safety.

Wakefield District Community Safety Partnership has been working with the pupils of Sandal Magna Junior and Infants School to raise awareness of crime, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and environmental issues.

On Wednesday the Council's Neighbourhood Patrollers and the Neighbourhood Policing Teams will be on hand to help the pupils celebrate the end of the school term at a fun packed open day. As well as a tombola pupils will have the opportunity to throw wet sponges at the patrollers and police through a special mural that has been designed and painted by Fundamental.

In February the partnership spoke to the pupils to find out what they were worried about. Pupils were concerned about drug use, under age drinking, flytipping, dog fouling and criminal damage, including the breaking of school windows and damage to street light columns. The partnership listened and during March and April organised a number of events at the school and with the pupils to investigate some of the issues.

Wakefield Council's Dog Wardens and Neighbourhood Patrollers carried out presentations at school assemblies in March, and West Yorkshire Police hosted drug and alcohol awareness sessions. In addition pupils were taken with the patrollers on a site visit to Welbeck Landfill Site to learn about recycling and Sandal Castle to investigate the dangers posed by dog fouling. Pupils also took part in an environmental visual audit in the area around St. Catherine's Street and will participate in a follow-up deep cleanse operation.

Cllr Olivia Rowley, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion, said: "Working with children and young people in Sandal has helped to highlight some of the local issues and has shown what can be done through partnership working. The young people at the school were very enthusiastic and it is welcoming to show them how we can all make a difference to the communities in which we live by focusing on reducing anti-social behaviour and environmental crime. This open day is a great opportunity for the young people to celebrate the successes of the project and share this with the local community."

The event will take place in the grounds of Sandal Magna Junior and Infants School on Wednesday 25 July between 1.15pm and 3pm.