Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill has visited St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary School in Weymouth today, to join pupils for the film premiere of a community safety video.
The film was created by pupils at St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary School, Scallywags Nursery, Wyvern Academy, Wey Valley School and the Horticultural Society in Weymouth. It formed part of their project ‘Safe For Us’ which aims to raise awareness of community concerns. The cameras used to produce the film were funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner.
The film explores four questions:What does it mean to be safe? What makes you feel safe? What makes you feel unsafe? What would you change to feel safer? The common theme across all age groups was that being in familiar settings with people they knew and trust made them feel safe. Other responses included the fear of talking to strangers, bullying and feeling intimidated by groups of people.
Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill said: “I am proud to be involved in such a wonderful community project and I thank the pupils involved for all their hard work. It is important that we work together to deal with community safety issues. By raising awareness, we can help cut crime and reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. In my address to St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary School, I also asked pupils to speak out about bullying and not to suffer in silence. I want young people to understand that tackling bullying is everyone’s responsibility.”
Headteacher of St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary School, Helen Williams said: “I would really like to say a big thank you to the pupils involved, and to Jo Neale, one of our teaching staff and her husband Ian. They spent most of the weekend editing the film. Without everyone’s commitment this quite incredible project would not have been possible.’
Notes for Editors:
To view the Community Safety film, please click on the following link: https://www.stnicholasstlaurence.dorset.sch.uk/community-safety-video/
