“Get Home Safe and Sound” says Youth Group

By Cliona Connolly
Monaghan Post

THE CEEP Shadow Youth Partnership launched their unique road safety and anti-drink driving campaign on Thursday last, December 6.

On the back of terrible road accidents in the region that have claimed the lives of many of their young friends, a group of young people, the youth group designed a road safety and anti drink driving campaign in time for the festive season.

The main message of the Campaign is “Ring around – get home safe and sound!” The project aims to encourage young people not to take a lift home after a night out with a driver who has consumed alcohol or drugs. As part of the campaign, members designed beer mats and posters with road safety slogans and local taxi numbers. These have been distributed to local pubs and clubs in the target CEEP area.

Annmarie Fryers, Project Manager of CEEP, said: “We have been very impressed with the passion our young members had for this project. It is entirely their idea as road safety emerged as the core concern for our young people.

”The beer mats and posters mean that the information will be available on the spot when young people need it. If we can stop one young person accepting a lift from a drunk driver, then the message will be out there.”

There are sixteen members of the Shadow Youth Partnership aged between 14 and 18 years. The launch also featured a DVD illustrating the activities and future plans of the Shadow Youth Partnership.

“The local community has been very supportive of our campaign and we are especially grateful for the assistance provided by local taxi companies and publicans. This whole project has encouraged the young people in our rural area to talk about their transport needs and we want people to understand that planning their transport home as an integral part of a good night out,” Ms Fryers added.