In a heartwarming celebration of community spirit and early intervention, Lethbridge Primary School in Swindon’s historic Old Town has clinched the prestigious Junior Good Citizen shield. This accolade, awarded by Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson, recognises the school’s outstanding participation in a scheme designed to guide youngsters on the right path.
The Junior Good Citizen project, a beacon of safety education for over 30 years, engages various agencies to instruct 10 and 11-year-olds on how to better protect themselves. This year, Lethbridge Primary emerged victorious among thirty-nine participating schools, showcasing their commitment to fostering a safe and informed student body.
The programme covers a wide array of crucial topics, from personal and online safety to road safety, weapons awareness, and substance misuse, with a special focus on railway safety. This year also saw the introduction of two new themes: Barnardo’s led a session on mental health, while Swindon Borough Council tackled smoking and vaping.
Andrea Hector, who coordinates youth and early intervention at Wiltshire Police, praised the pupils: “It was a tough decision to choose a winner, but the pupils at Lethbridge thoroughly embraced every element of the day, asked some fantastic questions and it was great to hear how some of them went home and shared the information they’d learned.”
The award ceremony, held during a school assembly, saw Shelley Gray from the youth and early intervention team, PCSO Emma Coleman, and Mr Wilkinson surprising the students. Bethany, a year 6 pupil, expressed her joy: “I really enjoyed going to the Junior Good Citizen event with my year. We’re all really happy and it’s a really nice thing for us to win together in our last couple of weeks at Lethbridge.”
Mr Wilkinson challenged the school to retain the trophy next year, emphasising the importance of early intervention: “It creates a relationship with Wiltshire Police officers in a setting where they’re comfortable, and gives them the skills and values to set them on the right path as they move to a bigger school.”
With over 30 schools participating annually, the Junior Good Citizen project continues to be a cornerstone of community engagement and safety education in Swindon. Congratulations to Lethbridge Primary for their exemplary performance and dedication to creating a safer future for all.
Image: Wiltshire and Swindon PCC
