Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) partnered with LFC Foundation's Premier League Kicks programme this half term to empower children in local communities with life saving road safety advice.
The one-day educational course, ran through the half term holidays at the state of the art MFRS Training and Development Academy in Aintree, Liverpool, saw the crucial initiative aimed at using the power of football to bring together vulnerable at-risk young people from across the city region.
The collaboration between the LFC Foundation’s Premier League Kicks programme and MFRS encourages positive social connections while highlighting the dangers posed by our roads.
Lee Seddon, MFRS Watch Manager for Prevention and Road Safety said:
“We’re here today at the MFRS Training and Development Academy delivering a diverse sessions by MFRS staff, with VR headsets, practical information, and engaging discussions.
“These sessions provide an insight from the perspective of a driver or passenger in a vehicle, a pedestrian, or other road users on motorcycles, bikes, or electric scooters.
“The road safety messages delivered here today could save a life.”
The MFRS led session focused on specific learning around distractions, the fatal five (Careless driving, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone, speeding), and individual ownership with respect to our actions and the consequences that can happen as a result, for better or worse.
Paul Wright, LFC Foundation’s Onside+ Coordinator for the Premier League Kicks programme said:
“The kids have completed an interactive presentation workshop with virtual reality headsets based around road safety, some of the key messages that we want to get across to keep them safe during the half term.
“An excellent session with MFRS staff which was informative, practical, and very well received.”
The partnership between the LFC Foundation and MFRS is into its eighth year, and the collaborative working between the two enables a passion for football to break down barriers between the blue light emergency services and some of the most at risk children within local communities.
In doing so, younger people in higher need areas are empowered through their love of football to access vital educational support.