Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Time to join the chatter

Conversati­on time

- Ian Bunting

Gartcosh Primary pupils have earned their kerbside stripes by taking part in a recent road safety competitio­n.

And the junior road safety champions were thrilled to receive their certificat­es from North Lanarkshir­e Council’s safe and sustainabl­e travel team during their recent visit to the Coatbridge school after completing their kerbcraft training.

The Primary One youngsters took part in the Child Pedestrian Training scheme – a practical kerbside road safety programme aimed at reducing child pedestrian casualties and fatalities, to encourage them to become independen­t pedestrian­s in the future.

The kids were trained in three key skills; choosing safer places and routes to cross the road; crossing safely between parked cars; and crossing safely at junctions.

The council now aim to introduce the programme to all local primary schools across the district with support from schools and parent volunteers.

The people of Airdrie and Coatbridge are being urged to join Britain’s biggest conversati­on on mental health.

For the first time ever, all countries in the UK will take part in Time To Talk Day on February 1.

See Me, the national programme to end mental health discrimina­tion, wants to bring together schools, workplaces, hospitals and communitie­s in Monklands to be part of the event.

This year the event falls during New College Lanarkshir­e’s Health and Wellbeing Week with Stigma Free Lanarkshir­e, which has a range of activities to get people talking about mental health.

The See Me campaign want s people and organisati­ons to hold Time to Talk events, which could be in gyms, cafes, at coffee mornings, in dedicated areas in workplaces and schools or anywhere else where people can chat about how they’re feeling, whether good or bad, across Monklands.

Calum Irving, See Me director, said: “2018 is set to be the biggest year yet for getting people talking about mental health.

“It’s easy to think there’s no right place to talk about mental health. But the more we talk about it, the better life is for all of us.

“Wherever you are – at home, at work or up the top of mountain – have your conversati­on about mental health this Time to Talk Day.”

More informatio­n is available online at www. seemescotl­and.org.

 ??  ?? Safety first Youngsters at Gartcosh Primary proudly display their certificat­es
Safety first Youngsters at Gartcosh Primary proudly display their certificat­es

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