Rural children get a lesson on health, safety and wellbeing

Duntroon School pupils Krystal Todd, 7, and Angus Todd, 8, learn about truck safety with Fonterra. PHOTOS: JULES CHIN

Duntroon hosted a Think Safe Brain Farming Day for pupils from Duntroon and Waitaki Valley schools last Wednesday.

Network Waitaki trade coach and health and safety adviser Rodie Macrae (back right) and line mechanic Brian Carter teach Duntroon School pupils Kaiah Benbow, 6 (left) and Pun Thongoputhorn, 7, to be electricity smart.

Agricultural safety day founder and farmer Harriet Bremner said it was about bringing communities together to teach rural children about health, safety and wellbeing in 14 modules presented by local organisations.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand, St John, New Zealand Police, local contractors and service providers and Stronger Waitaki showed children how to be advocates for behaviour change on farms and around wellbeing, she said.

Ngapara educator Jen McCulloch talks about tractor safety to Waitaki Valley pupils (from left) Charlie Nowell, 7, Oscar Thompson, 8, Sofia Warwick, 8, William Sinclair, 7, Isabella Hayman, 7, Evie Cameron, 7, and Tayla Turnbull, 8.

St John Community Trust and the North Otago and South Canterbury Rural Support trusts sponsored it.

Duntroon School principal Mike Turner said the pupils "really engaged" with the safety messages.