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Bike Lights for Primary pupils| Top of South Marr page
Bikeability| Top of South Marr page
Ready Steady Drive | Top of South Marr page
Banchory First Responders | Top of South Marr page
First on Scene | Top of South Marr page
Completed Safety Projects: | Top of South Marr page The South Marr Community Safety Group has helped to fund specialised bikes for local Police patrols. Click on the logo for more information Once again the South Marr Community Safety Group has donated copies of the RoSPA Little Book of Home Safety to all pupils in S1 and S2 at both Banchory and Aboyne academies. This means that at both schools every pupil from S1 to S6 has received the booklet since 2001. The photo shows Norma Makin, Group Treasurer, with pupils from Banchory Academy. The book is full of home safety tips and information which can help prevent accidents in the home. Click on the photo to see a larger version. The commitment and dedication of a group of pupils at Hill of Banchory Primary School was rewarded recently at a meeting of the South Marr Community Safety Group. The group, known as the Hill of Banchory Kick-about Group, have been raising funds to provide a football and basketball wall on ground earmarked for a kick-about pitch by local developers, Bancon. Bancon had said they would donate £2000 towards the equipment if the young people match-funded the sum. The Community Safety Group gave £500 towards the funds and the rest was soon raised through such events as car washes and cake stalls. Click on the thumbnail images to see a bigger versions. "When did you last read your Highway Code?" was one of the questions asked during the Baldy Bane Theatre Company's perfomance of "Urban Roadeo" at the Douglas Arms Hotel in Banchory last week. The event was hosted by the South Marr Community Safety Group and the audience was entertained by the play which is aimed at road users over the age of 55. It showed a humerous exchange between Jack Dawson and his Mother-in-Law, Davina. Jack is fiercely proud of his driving ability as an experienced road user. Davina, as a happy pedestrian, is determined to make him aware of the changes that accompany the ageing process - a fact he doesn't want to face! Road Safety Scotland, sponsors of the play, say: "In an amusing and informative manner, the play demonstrates how we should adapt our pedestrian and driving habits as we grow older. Making simple adsjustments to existing habits can make the way we use the road safer and more enjoyable for a long time to come." Click on the thumbnail image to see a bigger version.
Some of the members of the South Marr Community Safety Group
manned a stall at the Banchory St Ternan Day Fair on 9th June 2007.
Click on the thumbnail image to see a bigger version. Grampian Police, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Grampian Fire & Rescue Service along with the South Marr CSG are supporting a Football School in Banchory designed to reduce youth nuisance problems in the town. Click on the football logo to get more information. Youngsters from the Hill of Banchory have teed-off with North-east golf
great Harry Bannerman, Grampian Police and Stagecoach Bluebird in a
bid to drive down anti-social behaviour in the area. In July 2004 the South Marr Community Safety Group funded the hard-hitting "Buying a child booze.. it's child abuse" aimed at adults who buy alcohol and pass it on to under 18 year olds. Click on the photo to see a larger version and to get more information.
Personal Attack alarms
25 personal attack wrist alarms have been donated to the local Police for distribution to elderly residents. Get Your Flamin' Lum
Swept
One of the first projects of the South Marr Community Safety Group, in partnership with Grampian Fire Brigade, was the distribution of a leaflet which drew the attention of residents in Deeside to the dangers of not having their chimneys swept regularly. The leaflet was compiled by two members of the Fire Brigade and designed to be very eye-catching. 5000 copies were distributed in the Deeside Piper and Herald. Grampian Fire Brigade attend around SIXTY chimney fires each year in the Deeside area. In 2002, the South Marr Community
Safety Group were awarded £420 to provide
Grampian Police with 12 notice boards aimed at drawing the
attention of motorists and hill-walkers to the problems of
parking vehicles and walking in remote areas. These signs have
been installed at several well known tourist areas around
Deeside.
Click on the notice to find out more. Two new bicycles have been donated to the Police to allow officers to carry out patrols and be more accessible to their communities. Constable Gordon Brown, Aboyne Community Beat Officer and Special Constable Neil Middleton, who lives on Deeside, are the first officers to take to the streets. The bikes will be used in communities all over Deeside. Banchory Community Beat Officer, Constable Andrew Cruickshank, said: "Presently, anti-social behaviour amongst youth is a major concern for us all and over the last few months we have been developing strategies to tackle such behaviour. We see the bikes as playing a pivotal part in this."Click on the photo to see a larger version. Deeside businesses, Community Safety and the emergency services have joined forces to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour in the area. South Marr Community Safety Group and Grampian Police have been working together to highlight the issues to the communities on Deeside and are looking for their support in educating those involved away from such unacceptable behaviour Click on the poster to see a larger version (this is a PDF file, you will need the PDF file reader to view it). A new window will be opened in your browser.Click on the photo to see a larger version. One of the Community Safety Partnership's biggest concerns has been the appalling loss of life of young drivers. The South Marr Community Safety Group recently sponsored a skid car during the Deeside Young Drivers Day organised by Aboyne & Banchory Community Learning. The programme also included a brake reaction tester, a demonstration drive with a Police Instructor and presentations from both the Police and Fire Services. Click on the photo to see a larger version.The Group are also actively promoting the Pass Plus Initiative which is partly sponsored by Aberdeenshire Council. By taking a series of six training sessions a young driver can gain experience of what it really is like to drive a car, not just pass a driving test, and get reduced insurance premiums as reward. Click on the photo to see a larger version.Angie Funnell, a pupil of Banchory Academy, recently completed a Pass Plus course which was paid for partly by Aberdeenshire Council and partly the South Marr CSG. Click on the photo to see a larger version.South Marr Community Safety Group have now purchased and installed six smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing. All the Community Safety Groups within Aberdeenshire have been allocated funding to purchase smoke alarms for the deaf. These alarms have a smoke detector which is connected to a plastic disc which fits under a pillow. During the night, the disc vibrates to warn the deaf person when smoke is detected. During the day, the smoke alarm sets off a bright strobe light in the living area to provide the warning. The detectors have been made available with cash help through the Aberdeenshire Safety Project. The devices are earmarked for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and are hardwired into domestic electrical systems. Click on the photo to see a larger version.Engraving Pen
An electric engraving pen has been purchased to security mark
bicycles, skateboards and anything else someone happens to bring
along! The South Marr Community Safety Group are going to work
with Community Education staff to provide this facility in their
'Youth Information Centre' in the Bellfield Car Park in Banchory.
This engraver is available to any group which may want to borrow
it.
Top of South Marr page | Individual CSGs page | CSG Home page Ongoing Safety Projects:
Safe Summer on the River
The South Marr Community Safety Group recently funded the printing of the posters and leaflets for the "Safe Summer on the River" campaign launched recently. This was in response to the rescue of a young girl from the River Dee one year to the day after the drowning of Zoe Skea at the Linn of Quoich. Click on the logo to see the poster (LARGE PDF file). Pupils from Banchory Academy compiled a Skateboard Safety leaflet outlining the dangers of not wearing the correct protective gear, particularly for those children under the age of 10, as their skulls are still forming and growing. Copies of the leaflets have been distributed to the local schools. Click on the logo to see the Skateboard Safety leaflet (LARGE PDF file). Discount Vouchers for Bicycle Helmets
For the past 3 years the South Marr CSG has been offering £5 off the purchase of either helmets or bicycle lights at the local BikeLife shop in Banchory. Vouchers were printed in the Deeside Piper & Herald during the run up to Christmas and the discount was given on production of the voucher at the shop. This is a project which will be repeated every Christmas for the foreseeable future. Midnight Football League
The Bank of Scotland Midnight League is a national award winning 5-a-side community football development initiative. It is aimed at keeping boys and girls aged between 12 and 16 off the streets on Friday and Saturday nights and reducing youth crime levels and anti-social behaviour. With the help of Community Constable Andy Cruickshank the league is being run every Friday evening between 6-10pm for 6 weeks, starting 13th April at Banchory Academy or Banchory Sports Centre. The South Marr CSG have donated £240 for the hire of the venue. The South Marr CSG has purchased a drunk and dangerous kit for use by the Police or Fire & Rescue Services. The glasses in the kit dramatically simulates the effects of alcohol. Because the glasses' simulation of drunkenness is so real and intense, wearers can't help but be struck by the reality that alcohol really does make driving dangerous. Glasses create blurred vision and simulate unsteady motor skills when the wearer tries to manoeuvre the model car. The South Marr CSG contributed to the purchase of a Wii console and games for Grampian Police. This is to be used in conjunction with the drunk and dangerous goggles purchased last year. Sixth year pupils can learn how the effects of alcohol can affect driving by wearing the goggles while playing the driving game on the Wii. Click on the photo to see a larger version. Personal Attack Alarms
Following the total sell-out of the popular personal attack alarm the South Marr CSG have purchased more for sale at no profit. For more information, email the Treasurer. Tax Disc Holders
The high incidence of road deaths, particularly among drivers under the age of 25, is always cause for concern. The South Marr CSG have purchased tax disc holders with the message "Speed Kills" in large red letters. They will be handed out free at the AGM on 24th May. Home-Start Deeside
Home-Start's informal and friendly support for families with young children provides a lifeline to thousands of parents and children in over 337 communities across the UK and with forces families in Germany and Cyprus. The South Marr Community Safety Group recently gave £200 to provide equipment such as car seats and safety gates for less well off families. "Take Control" Initiative
The initiative has been put together by Inspector Ian Kirkwood of Grampian Police. It is directed towards pupils in 4th year which is an age group previously left out as they're too young to drive. However the Police are now focussing on the 4th years' responsibilities as passengers. It is a very hard hitting talk with graphics of actual crashes/injuries. The presentation, along with input from members of the local Fire & Rescue Service, has taken place at Mackie Academy with great success. The plan is to roll out the talk to all the secondary schools in Kincardine and Deeside - Portlethen, Mearns, Aboyne and Banchory Academies. Both the South Marr and Kincardine & Mearns Safety Groups have contributed £600 each for the purchase of the equipment necessary to carry out these presentations. Be Safe Be Seen Campaign
The Be Safe Be Seen campaign was launched on Wednesday 25 October in preparation for the end of British Summer Time on Sunday 29 October. As the nights draw in, children are more vulnerable as they are less visible to motorists. In order to encourage all children to wear something bright and take extra care when out and about near roads the South Marr Community Safety Group gave £250 to Banchory Primary School for the purchase of reflective slap-wraps and reflectors. Community Safety Awards 2002-2003 The Youth 2000 Project, based in Banchory, was
recently awarded Runner-Up prize in the Annual Community Safety
Awards Competition. The award was given in recognition of the
efforts a group of local young people who have raised over
£11,000 towards facilities for young people. Two shelters,
where young people can meet, have been erected as phase one of
the project. The winners were announced at the very successful
Community Safety Seminar held in Woodhill House at the end of
March. The photograph shows Treasurer, Norma Makin, presenting
the award to members and sponsors of the Youth 2000 group.
Click on the photo to see a larger version. Top of page | Individual CSGs page | CSG Home page Banchory Farmers' MarketThe Group manned a stall at the Banchory Farmers' Market held in April. The aim was to promote the organisation and inform the public of the aims and objectives of the Partnership. Free UV marker pens were handed out to interested parties. There were also personal attack alarms for sale which proved quite popular. The Grampian Fire and Rescue Service's booklets "Frances the Firefly" and "The Broons" proved particularly popular. The photo shows Safety Group member Fiona Stalker talking to a Banchory resident. Top of South Marr page | Individual CSGs page | CSG Home page |