Pupils at Welford Primary School, in Welford-on-Avon, were joined by local MP and Children’s Minister Nadhim Zahawi, for a lesson in the dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning.
On Friday (24 May) Year 2 youngsters enjoyed an afternoon of free fun, educational activities designed to keep them and their families safe from deadly CO, courtesy of cuddly caped crusading bear, Safety Seymour, and his friends at local gas network Cadent.
Joining them for the start of the workshop, Mr Zahawi MP said:
“Carbon Monoxide is the silent killer and this workshop is a great way for children to learn about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide and how to keep safe.
“I would encourage as many schools as possible across the local area to consider teaching children about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide, and Safety Seymour is a great way to do this.
“My thanks go to Cadent for supporting Safety Seymour and running the session”
The workshop, developed by Cadent, teaches children how to spot the signs of CO, recognise the symptoms of CO poisoning, and how to stay safe. At the end of the session, youngsters take home their very own Safety Seymour bear, a CO treasure hunt to do around their home and a CO alarm.
Tom Bradley, from Cadent, said: “It was great to be able to welcome Nadhim to the school to see one of our Safety Seymour workshops in action, and I’m delighted he was impressed with what we offer.
“These workshops are just one of the ways that we are helping to keep the communities we serve safe. The Safety Seymour workshops complement our CO poster competition that we run for schoolchildren annually, as well as our work with local fire services and charities to reach those most at risk of CO poisoning”.
Faulty or badly maintained gas appliances can leak deadly CO, which kills more than 30 people a year and results in 200 people being admitted to hospital. But it is not yet known how many undiagnosed cases return home, become ill again, or die from continued exposure to CO.
Experts believe these figures could be a gross underestimation and the actual cost to the NHS is likely to be much more than the current estimate of £178million per annum.
Here are Safety Seymour’s three steps to staying CO safe:
- Identify the danger – know the symptoms of CO poisoning. Also check for warning signs that your appliances aren’t working properly. For more information go to cadentgas.com/emergencies-safety/suspect-carbon-monoxide. If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.
- Get your gas appliances checked every year by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. You can find a registered engineer in your area by calling Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk
- Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm
Schools can find out more about the Safety Seymour sessions by going to:
https://cadentgas.com/about-us/responsibility/working-with-schools/teaching-children-about-carbon-monoxide/safety-seymour-in-schools