Students posters boast community safety

NINE Bellarine students have been crowned the winners of the Neighbourhood Watch Greater Geelong Community Safety Poster Competition.

Entrants were encouraged to create posters with safety messages for the community, reminding locals and visitors to protect their belongings this holiday season.

Neighbourhood Water Greater Geelong co-ordinator Rhonda Rotherham said one of the most popular themes for the posters was around locking cars and removing valuables.

“That was probably the most common and probably the most important message.

“We have lots of thefts from cars and it’s always when people have forgotten to lock them and they’ve left valuables inside, it’s time and time again that happens.”

Entrants were split up into three age groups with Elsie in first, Marli in second and Ashlyn and Nick in equal third for the Prep to year two category.

In the year three to six category Saskia’s poster was awarded first place, Rafferty in second and Michael in third.

Hermione took out first place in the year seven to 12 age group and Tilly in second.

Neighbourhood Watch are all about working together to make communities better, safer and friendlier places to live and wanted the students to get involved.

This is the second year the competition has run, with entries open to any art material and digital technology.

Ms Rotherham said the posters were very relevant to locals and visitors to the Bellarine over the holiday period and they were a new take on an old message.

“It’s something we at Neighbourhood Watch would talk about all the time, but I’m hopeful that coming from kids, presented in a different way, it may have more of an impact on the community.”

All of the posters entered into the competition will now be displayed around towns and on social media, reminding the community to stay safe and keep their homes and cars locked.

“We’re keen to get their posters out and about on noticeboards, hoping that a different format might hit home,” Ms Rotherham said.

“It’s really great that kids did get involved, we’re really pleased with their efforts and it’s really great to have them.”

Neighbourhood Watch is encouraging visitors, particularly campers, to ensure their belongs are safe and secure, by locking caravans and not leaving items including bikes, scooters, surfboard or fishing gear unattended outside.

For more information on staying safe this holiday season, head to nhw.com.au