MORE than 700 children across Tameside have been learning what to do in an emergency – through the power of storytelling.
The youngsters took part in Story Makers sessions at three local libraries and online, where they discovered when and how to dial 999 thanks to a special animated book.
The story called 999 Emergency, written by Susanne T Schroder and illustrated by Andy Rowland, was created in collaboration with local families during previous Story Makers workshops in 2023 and 2024.
This latest round of sessions, led by storyteller Simon, formed part of Operation Avro – a major day of action involving police and partner agencies tackling community safety issues across Tameside.
Funded by the Tameside Community Safety Partnership, the sessions aimed to build children’s confidence in dealing with emergencies while helping them understand the vital role of emergency services.
Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture, said: “It is fantastic to hear that these sessions reached and educated over 700 children! This was an excellent activity to equip our younger residents with such crucial information.
“Using storybooks is a great way to engage the children and ensure they retain the information. Well done to all the teams involved in hosting these amazing Story Maker Sessions.”
The sessions proved to be an inventive way of teaching a serious subject, showing that stories can be just as powerful as sirens when it comes to saving lives.
For more information about upcoming Story Makers sessions, visit the Tameside Libraries website.