Hundreds of St Peter Port primary school children have received reflective bag tags to help them stand out on dark, winter mornings and evenings.
Town-based insurance company, 1st CENTRAL, has bought every child at Vauvert and Amherst primary schools a reflective key ring to attach to their school bag, in an effort to improve road safety. The tags were bought using money raised by the company at last year’s Liberation Day celebrations, when it brought over Lennie the children’s road train and offered rides for donations, a staff raffle and funds donated directly by the firm.
Mike Leonard, co-founder and Deputy Group CEO of 1st CENTRAL, said: "Guernsey benefits from smaller, slower roads, which is great. But sometimes the narrowness of our roads, coupled with a lack of pavements and minimal street lighting can make it difficult for motorists to see pedestrians.
"One of 1st CENTRAL’s aims is to improve the communities in which it operates. There are 750 children at Amherst and Vauvert and if we can prevent just one accident by doing this we will have achieved what we set out to do."
Tracey Moore, headteacher at Amherst Primary School, added: "We are delighted that 1st CENTRAL has provided our children with the key rings. I am sure they will help to keep our children safe during the dark winter journeys to and from school."
Rides on Lennie the train were free but 1st CENTRAL staff, as well as players from the Guernsey College Football Academy, collected £475 in donation; a further £100 was raised by a staff raffle.