Competition delivers home safety message

Children are being urged to get the home safety message across through a new competition.

Children are being encouraged to get the home safety message across to their parents via a new competition '“ and win Â£1,000 for their school into the bargain.

Boiler cover and home maintenance firm CORGI HomePlan has launched Keep Me Safe - the search for a simple, hard-hitting safety poster.

Primary school children are busy coming up with ideas for posters that spell out to parents the most dangerous things that can go wrong in the home – and how to avoid them.

This could be electricals, gas, radiators, cookers, boilers, heaters or fires or any other danger flashpoint in the home.

The competition is split into two categories - seven to nine years and 10-11 - and two winners will earn their schools £1,000 each to spend on art and crafts materials, with £250 for runners-up in each category.

All winners and runners up will also receive a £50 goody bag for their efforts.

The entries will be judged by celebrated children’s illustrator Nick East, who has most recently worked with astronaut Tim Peake on his book Goodnight Spaceman.

As well as judging, Nick will work with the winning children to prepare their posters if necessary and provide a series of top tips for kids to help them get involved.

He said: “Children see things so clearly, in a way that adults don’t, which makes the idea of getting them to come up with a safety poster an inspired one.

“The message is simple, but the possibilities are wide open for the children to get creative.”

He added: “I look forward to seeing the entries.”

The Keep Me Safe competition will run through summer term and the summer holidays, closing in September. So children have plenty of time to get involved, either at school or during their long break.

CORGI HomePlan’s network of 5,000 Gas Safe registered engineers will then distribute the winning designs over autumn and winter to their customers.

Entries can be submitted online at: http://corgi-homeplan-how-safe-is-your-home.org/keepmesafe/ or by post to: Keep Me Safe c/o Democracy, Unit 2 The Boxworks, 62 Beech Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 9EG.