Pictured at the launch of a farm safety competition Ulster Bank is running in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive and AgriKids is (L-R) Ulster Bank’s Senior Agriculture Manager, Cormac McKervey, AgriKids founder and author Alma Jordan, Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland’s Deputy Chief Executive, Bryan Monson and Wayne McCully, Branch Manager Ulster Bank Comber alongside P6 pupils from Andrews Memorial Primary School Luke Ritchie, Ruby Donaldson, Sarah Corken and Michael Gabbie.

A new book promoting farm safety for children is to be created by school pupils across Northern Ireland as part of an important initiative launched by Ulster Bank with the help of primary 6 pupils from Andrews Memorial Primary School.

As principal sponsors of the Balmoral Show, Ulster Bank is working in partnership with popular farm safety educational resource AgriKids to encourage children to be more aware of the risks that can arise when playing near a farmyard.

The competition, which has received support from the Health & Safety Executive NI as well as the RUAS, asks school children to create a story based on Agrikids ‘Tales from Riverside Farm’ book series using the characters to illustrate potential dangers based around the Farm Safety Partnership’s four main priority areas: Slurry, Animals, Falls and Equipment.

A winning entry based on each of the four areas will be selected by a panel of judges representing Ulster Bank, the RUAS and the Health and Safety Executive NI. The entries will then be used to create a book of short stories based on the children’s ideas and including the winner’s original illustrations which will be launched at this year’s Balmoral Show.

Further information and full details are available at: http://balmoralshow.co.uk/schools-zone.html

The campaign builds on Ulster Bank’s support for farm safety. Last year’s video competition (Stay out of harm down on the farm) has had over 70,000 views on social media.