Project Bernie Delivers Activities To Young People

Project Bernie has successfully delivered a range of diversionary activities as a means of educating young people about the dangers of grass fires. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

125 young people attended the sessions and had the opportunity to take part in a series of fun activities, all of which were based around the theme of ‘Bernie’. This included making pizza, designing pizza boxes, soap making, clay modelling and t-shirt making as well as the chance to become a fire fighter for a day. Other activities included football, pool, welsh cake making, theatrical makeup and a PlayStation 4 challenge. Caerphilly Adventure Group also provided an indoor climbing wall for use throughout the day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The diversionary activities were delivered by Caerphilly Youth Service over 4 days at Hangar Youth and Community Centre, Bargoed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The project’s aim for 2016 was to reduce the number of grass fires in the Bargoed area over the Easter period. Project Bernie uses a combination of social marketing techniques in education and enforcement to address the issue of deliberate grass fires. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly Youth Service, Safer Caerphilly, South Wales Fire Service and South Wales Police worked in partnership to deliver Project Bernie. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services said: “Grass fires are extremely dangerous to people, wildlife and the surrounding landscape. The deliberate setting of grass fires is a crime and I am delighted that Safer Caerphilly were able to work with Caerphilly Youth Service, South Wales Fire Service and South Wales Police to educate young people on the ever-present dangers that fires pose. I am delighted that the diversionary activities were so well attended, well done to everyone involved”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​