The Farm and Countryside Safety Calendar Competition
Safety starts with awareness and that’s never more important than when working or living on a farm.
That was the message from Agri Aware’s Chairman Bernard Donohue, as the organisation launched its farm safety initiative:
The Farm and Countryside Safety Calendar Competition.
Supported by FBD, the IFA and ESB Networks, Agri Aware’s Farm and Countryside Safety Calendar competition challenges primary school pupils across Ireland to think about the dangers they might encounter when on the farm or in the countryside, and encourages them to think about staying safe in these environments.
These messages are crucial, according to Mr Donohue, in light of the recent deaths of three family members on a farm in County Down.
“It is vital that every step possible is taken to reduce the amount of fatalities that happen each year on Irish farms,” he said, while launching the initiative at Family Farm in Dublin Zoo. “The first step is educating people and especially children – there were 22 fatalities on Irish farms in 2011 and 14 so far this year. But if we can instil in children’s minds, at an early age, an awareness of the risks, and help them to form good farm safety habits, that lesson will be with them for a lifetime.”
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Shane McEntee attended the launch, as did representatives from the competition sponsors: FBD, the IFA and ESB Networks.
Competition Details:
Pupils must
· Draw or paint a picture/artwork that raises awareness of health and safety on the farm or in the countryside.
· Submit their picture/artwork to Agri Aware, anytime up to October 19th, 2012.
A total of 12 winning entries will be chosen and used to produce Agri Aware’s Farm and Countryside Safety Calendar for 2013, which will be sent to every primary school in Ireland. Winners will be entitled to a trip to Family Farm (developed by Agri Aware and Dublin Zoo) in Dublin Zoo, with their class and teacher.