Southeast Communities Rail Partnership (SCRP) have hosted a child safety event at Edenbridge Station, aiming to provide local children with the tools to keep themselves safe as they move towards independence and secondary school.
As Edenbridge has no local secondary school, the majority of children will have to travel regularly by train. SCRP recognised the need for local children to feel confident and safe as they travel to their new place of education, and hosted what is hoped to be the first of many child safety events.
Pupils from Edenbridge Primary School were welcomed to Edenbridge Station on Tuesday 20 September by SCRP Officer Sharon Gray. The Year 6 children, 55 in total, were split into two groups to visit two venues – Edenbridge Station and the town’s Fire Station.
At the railway station, the children were met by GTR‘s Rail Enforcement Officers and SCRP Education Officer Maddy Mills, who gave talks on navigating the station and its facilities, how the children can keep themselves safe, and what to do if there is a problem. Many questions followed from the inquisitive students.
The children then swapped venues and went to visit the Fire Station, where they were met by a Fire Officer for a talk on fire safety and event got the chance to explore a real fire engine. When the two groups had returned to school, their last talk of the day was delivered by a Kent Police Youth Officer, and was all about how the children can keep themselves safe when travelling independently.
Sharon Gray, SCRP Officer, said: “This project has been a long time coming. It was first planned just before Covid, but it was unfortunately delayed again and again. It was such a great local project idea, that I just didn’t want to let it go.
“It was a great event, a lot of fun. The children behaved beautifully and asked many, many, many questions! We would like this to become a regular event, which can be utilised at other small rural towns in the area.”
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