Children at Bilton Grange Primary School in Harrogate will now be safer when out and about thanks to a donation of 100 high visibility vests from a local optician.
The vests were presented to staff and children by frame merchandiser Jane Palmer and optical assistant Bethan Balmforth-Goncalues from Specsavers in Harrogate.
The safety initiative has been set up by Specsavers to increase the safety of local children when walking to and from school making it easier for motorists to spot the pupils. The donation also coincides with Road Safety Awareness Week which runs from the 19-25th November.
Store director, John Broadberry, explains:
Once the clocks go back the long, dark nights and winter weather can make it difficult for motorists to see pedestrians and dusk is particularly hazardous when the children are walking home from school.
With this in mind we decided that we wanted to help increase the safety of children in Harrogate and offer Bilton Grange Primary the high visibility vests.
As part of the initiative, we are also hoping to raise awareness of free glasses and eye tests that are available to under 16 year olds. It is important to make sure that children have regular eye tests as an undetected problem could lead to something more severe in the long term.
Judith Ratcliffe, head teacher at Bilton Grange Primary, said:
I want to say a big thank you to Specsavers for their donation of high visibility vests. Road safety is a very important issue and we endeavour to educate both pupils and parents on the issue whenever possible.
Road Safety Week is a project by Brake, which is a charity that aims to prevent road crashes and support the victims of accidents. Brake founded Road Safety Week as an annual event to heighten awareness of the extent of carnage on our roads, and the steps everyone can take to stop these needless deaths and injuries year-round.
