Schools in Cornwall new kids book 'watch out' launched

The Mayor said: "Child safety is important and the book helped children to understand and to react safely to bad situations."

He also thanked President Peter Scott for the Rotary club bringing it to schools in the Falmouth area.

Peter then introduced Tony and Lynn Churchill the authors of the book.

Tony said when he was a policeman with the Thames Valley Police he was increasingly concerned with the dangers children were facing today from social media, diversity issues, drugs and County lines etc.

He and Lynn wanted to produce a book that was well researched so that it was a valuable resource for teachers, initiated discussion between teachers, parents and the children but was illustrated by children so that the situations discussed were not scary.

Kids “Watch Out” covers 34 dangers including entries from the RNLI on Water Safety, the Police on County lines etc.

He went on to thank Sam for illustrating the front page and providing an arresting picture of a hoodie for the County lines section.

He also thanked RC Falmouth and Rotary SW Peninsula for making the reprint possible so that dangers from the RNLI, Police and need for good hygiene could be added and to local Rotarians for getting the book not only to the 13 schools in and around Falmouth but for getting over 10,000 copies to 80 schools in Cornwall and as well as to schools in Devon.

Councillor Steve Eva, with Left to Right Rtn Janet Pearce, Lynn Churchill, Jules Jenkins, Head of Mabe Primary School, Rtn Peter Scott President Rotary Club of Falmouth, Sam Wylie who drew the front cover and his mother, Tony Churchill.

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Peter Scott thanked the Mayor for the Town Councils earlier donation of £500 to buy 50 sets of the game for 10 local schools.

He then introduced Jules Jenkin, Head Teacher of Mabe Primary school who said that "The dangers children are facing are very real and safeguarding is a subject dealt with in every class."

She felt that the book was a great help to teachers teaching the subject, that it enabled them to understand better some of their children’s problems and it did do in a way which was not frightening for the children.

The Mistakes and Ladders game was great fun but also helped children learn and discuss these subjects as whether they went up a ladder or down a snake depended on a correct answer to a question based on the book.

Parents had also found the book useful as it presented dangers which they were not aware existed as they had not been part of their upbringing

The Mayor said reiterated these dangers were very real and quoted an example where a child had taken a large sharp knife to school and was threatening others and another of children who were chatting on social media not realising that it was an adult and not a child.

Prevention was better than cure and this book and game went a long way to achieving this.

He thanked all concerned for the valuable work they were doing and gave 50 books and a game to each of the five Falmouth schools and Mabe.

He went on to say that RC Falmouth was becoming an increasingly important partner for the Town Council and welcomed this development

To find out more about the book, visit: www.okourkidswatchout.co.uk