This was Ben Rouse’s brainchild and was something he had hoped to hold during his year as High Sheriff.

The event received around 1125 children from 38 Island primary schools over three days. It was supported by local organisations and businesses: Cowes Enterprise College, 1Leisure, and The Bay CE School provided the locations; Red Funnel generously provided free transport for the IW Fire & Rescue Service’s presentation truck; Invictus Medical Services provided emergency medical support; the Military Preparation College and Police Cadets provided marshalls for the event. Some funding, for unavoidable costs, was received from the High Sheriffs’ Trust.

The intention of the event was to equip the children with the knowledge to make sensible decisions in order to keep themselves safe both at home and while out and about. Short, snappy presentations were given to the children by the Hampshire Police Service, IW Fire and Safety, IW Ambulance Service, RNLI, NFU, Keir Construction and DS Surveying, 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service, and Southern Vectis who also generously assisted with transport for those schools that would otherwise have been unable to get to the event.

It was attended by the IW High Sheriff 2019/20, Geoff Underwood (at Cowes Enterprise College), the then Chair of IW Council, George Cameron (at 1Leisure), and IW Council Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Skills, at the time, Paul Brading (at The Bay CE School).

It was enormously well-received by the schools attending and all those involved in its execution.