Fun farming competition delivers serious message
Date published:
A poster competition to help educate our youngest generations about the importance of farm safety has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the Farm Safety Partnership NI (FSP).
The initiative, now in its fifth year, aims to raise crucial awareness about farm safety among primary school-aged children across Northern Ireland in a bit to prevent tragic accidents.
David Lowe, HSENI Principal Agri-Food Inspector said the competition was a fun way to get a serious message across to children and farming families.
“While the poster competition is a fantastic and engaging way for children to express their creativity, we must never lose sight of the serious message behind this initiative. Farming remains one of our most dangerous industries and tragically in Northern Ireland children have been involved in serious and even fatal accidents on the farm.
“We hope this fun competition drives home the critical point the farm is a workplace, not a playground, and constant vigilance of our children and educating them in farm safety is vital to keeping them safe,” he added.
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), the charity sponsoring the competition, urged all primary schools and families to get involved in the competition.
“Farms can be wonderful places for children to grow up, where independence and responsibility are fostered and family relationships are strengthened. But the world of agriculture has changed and we all need to keep up. Keeping our children safe and sound has to be a priority for all of us. This competition provides a creative and engaging way for children to learn about the dangers on farms, empowering them to become advocates for safety within their own homes and communities. As members of the Farm Safety Partnership, Yellow Wellies are delighted to sponsor this year's competition and look forward to seeing the fun and impactful artwork the children produce,” she said.
The competition, which is open until 4 July 2025, invites children to draw and colour a picture illustrating a vital farm safety message. Entries should primarily focus on the four key dangers on farms: Slurry, Animals, Falls, and Equipment (SAFE).
However, HSENI and the Farm Safety Partnership are keen to see new and innovative ideas and welcome illustrations of any other dangers children may identify on farms.
The competition has consistently received immense support from primary schools across Northern Ireland in previous years, a momentum the HSENI and FSP are eager to maintain. "We are extremely grateful for the huge support we've received from our primary schools, and we urge everyone to keep the momentum going," added Robert Kidd. "We truly need to ensure the safety of our children on farms, and this poster competition is an excellent way to raise awareness of the dangers our children may face."
The winning entries will be announced in September and will be used by the HSENI in their publicity material to get the important message across to farm families.
Competition terms and conditions, along with further information on Key Stage 1 & 2 resources including downloadable child farm safety colouring sheets, can be found at https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/be-aware-kids-child-safety-farms-campaign
Notes to editors :
- For more information on the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP), please contact HSENI on 0800 0320 121 or visit www.hseni.gov.uk/farmsafetypartnership.
- The Farm Safety Partnership comprises the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), NFU Mutual (NFUM), the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), The Farm Safety Foundation, Rural Support, and the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA). It is tasked with assisting Northern Ireland’s farming community to work safely and tackle the problem of work-related fatalities and injuries on farms.
- The Farm Safety Partnership’s ongoing ‘Stop and Think SAFE’ farm safety campaign focuses on the four main causes of death and injury on our farms – slurry, animals, falls, and equipment (SAFE).
- The Farm Safety Foundation, or Yellow Wellies as it is known, is an independent registered charity working throughout the UK to address the attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in the next generation of farmers (under 40yrs) with the aim of reducing the number of farmers and farm workers suffering life-changing and life-ending injuries in the workplace and making our farms safer places to work, to live and to visit.
- For media enquiries, please contact HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out-of-office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
- HSENI is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland.