Date:
Wednesday, 20 June, 2018
Four pupils from Balmuildy Primary School have unveiled signage in Bishopbriggs Public Park urging adults not to smoke where children play.Keira Roopra, Abbie Ward, Abbi McKeeman and Kate Kelly designed the eye-catching poster that will soon be displayed in all parks across Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn in the latest drive to stamp out smoking in East Dunbartonshire.
Local primary schools took part in tobacco workshops led by the East Dunbartonshire Tobacco Alliance before participating in a competition to design a poster to deter smoking within play parks. Over 170 pupils took part, however, the girls’ design of a picturesque park with the strapline ‘Please keep our play park smokefree’ caught the eye of the judges.
The winners and runners-up joined members of the East Dunbartonshire Tobacco Alliance to see the sign unveiled at Bishopbriggs Public Park and they were awarded prizes and certificates from HSCP Health Improvement & Inequalities Manager, David Radford and the Council’s Convener of Education, Councillor Jim Goodall.
David Radford, said, “East Dunbartonshire HSCP is proud to support the smoke free play parks initiative that supports children having a clean, safe and smoke free environment in which to play. By reducing children's exposure to tobacco smoke, we hope that in time smoking will no longer be seen as a ‘normal’ activity in today's society.”
Councillor Jim Goodall, added, “Children are fully aware of the dangers of smoking and the damage second-hand smoke can cause. Understandably they want their play parks to be a safe environment for enjoying outdoor activities whilst breathing in fresh air. This colourful and eye-catching new signage will appear across playparks in Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn and will be a reminder to grown-ups to respect the wishes of our children and protect them from exposure to second-hand smoke.”
Smoke free play parks have been created in Bearsden, Kirkintilloch, Milton of Campsie, Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn. It is hoped that the project will be rolled out to all 67 play areas in East Dunbartonshire.
The East Dunbartonshire Tobacco Alliance is a coalition of statutory and third sector partners who plan and undertake projects towards reducing tobacco-related harm.
The partners are the East Dunbartonshire HSCP, East Dunbartonshire Council, Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust, East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The smoke free play parks project has run in Baljaffray, Harestanes, , Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown, Torrance, Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn. It is hoped that the project will be rolled out to all play areas across East Dunbartonshire by 2021.
