PUPILS at Pembridge Primary School have been learning how to stay safe around roads with new playground markings and equipment purchased with funding from the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust.

The school is positioned on the busy A44 with the heavy traffic making it potentially unsafe for children to cross the road unaided. Staff recognised it was important for Key Stage 1 pupils, aged four to seven, to have a better understanding of road safety, both as a pedestrian and a cyclist.

They successfully applied for £2,347 in funding from the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust. This was used to purchase a wide range of equipment including road markings for the playground, signs, bikes, helmets and high visibility jackets. The children are now able to act out road scenarios, making sure they look both ways when crossing and learning how to go around roundabouts.

School governor, Sarah Norman, said: "The children are benefitting hugely from learning the basics of traffic awareness and bike skills. They're both more confident and aware of risks when approaching busy roads. The older key stage 2 students have also been able to use some of the equipment for more advanced cycling proficiency lessons."

John Garbutt, chairman of the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust added:

"It is absolutely crucial that children have a clear understanding of the risks around roads, and how to deal with them. Supporting road safety is one of our key objectives and we were delighted to be able to support Pembridge Primary School with this excellent scheme".

Anyone within the catchment areas of Wigmore High School, Lady Hawkins' School, Earl Mortimer College in Herefordshire and Tenbury High Ormiston Academy in Worcestershire, and the Parish of Sherburn-in-Elmet in North Yorkshire is able to apply for funding from the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust. Projects requiring funding must meet at least one of the Trust's four objectives. These cover conservation, encouraging biodiversity, health and fitness of young people, along with road safety. There is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted.

Application forms, and details of other local projects involving the Trust, can be viewed on the website kingspaninsulationcommunitytrust.org