An important new resource to promote farm safety in schools is set to be created through an initiative launched today by Ulster Bank, the principal sponsor of the Balmoral Show, in partnership with the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), Health & Safety Executive NI and The Farm Safety Partnership.

Young people aged 7-16 are being invited to submit ideas for a storyboard illustrating the potential dangers on a farm and how to stay safe.

A winning entry will be chosen by judges from Ulster Bank, the RUAS, the Health & Safety Executive NI, UFU and YFCU to be made into a 30 second animated video that will be launched at this year’s Balmoral Show.

Entries can be made until 5pm on April 14, 2017. In addition to having their idea produced, the winner will also receive an iPad and a pass for their class to the Balmoral Show 2017.

Five runners-up will also be chosen, who will have their entries displayed at the four-day family and agri-food event, and will receive a pass for their class to attend the show.

Ulster Bank Senior Agriculture Manager, Cormac McKervey, says: “Farming is one of Northern Ireland’s most important industries and can be highly rewarding. But it is also an industry with risks. We believe that education has a centrally important role to play in helping prevent farm accidents and fatalities. That’s why we are pleased to partner with the HSE NI, the Farm Safety Partnership, and other organisations to create what we are confident will be a very useful resource.”

Championing the initiative, Bryan Monson of the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland said, “We are very pleased that Ulster Bank has decided to actively encourage schools to highlight the issue of farm safety and are very keen to lend support to this initiative.

“It is hugely important to us that children understand the dangers they may encounter when playing on a farm and value the role schools can play to deliver this message. We know that the competition will produce a very useful teaching resource which we look forward to using when delivering our school talks.”

Young people can download a storyboard template from the Balmoral Show website on which they should outline their farm safety story, accompanied by 150 words or less outlining their idea, before sending it to Ulster Bank.

The winning entry will be chosen by the expert panel of judges and the winning entry will be unveiled as a 30 second animated video on the first day of the Balmoral Show.

Further information and full details are available at: http://www.balmoralshow.co.uk/pdfs/2017-schools-competition.pdf