main content Competition for junior citizens

Pupils from Oaklands Junior School, in Biggin Hill, celebrated after a pupil won a competition designed to help young people learn the laws about buying age-restricted products.

Pupil Suzie Carter, aged 11, was presented with a gift voucher and certificate in recognition of her achievement by Councillor Neil Reddin, Executive Councillor for Community Safety and Leisure.

Councillor Reddin, who also chairs the Safer Bromley Partnership, said: “Community safety for both children and adults is a key priority for the Council so I am very pleased to be presenting this award to highlight the importance of knowing the law when it comes to buying age-restricted products.

“The Council works hard with the police and other groups to ensure children are protected from the dangers of items such as solvents, cigarettes, knives and even lottery tickets. It is very important that children and their parents know the laws that apply to these and other age-restricted goods so that we can make our borough safer for everyone.”

Primary schoolchildren from across Bromley took part in the competition - which was organised by the borough’s trading standards officers - to test their knowledge about how old they have to be to buy items such as lottery cards, alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks.

Children taking part were also encouraged to understand why these laws are in place, and how they help to protect young people from a variety of dangers.

The competition aimed to highlight awareness of citizenship issues in the run up to a series of Junior Citizen events that take place in the borough during October 2005 and throughout 2006.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• the Junior Citizen scheme teaches children in Year 6 - who are shortly to make the transition to secondary school - how to cope with everyday issues safely and effectively. Children are provided with practical training preparing them to venture into the wider world while at the same time encouraging good citizenship and a sense of community responsibility;
• children take part in interactive scenarios run by organisations including the Met Police, London Fire Brigade, The British Red Cross and Transport for London that require them to make decisions about personal safety and the safety of others, while raising their awareness of danger and the consequences of criminal actions. Themes covered include mobile phone crime, road safety, train safety, drugs and alcohol education, fire safety and first aid.