Treacle Partnership launch 'Let’s face it...' firework safety campaign

Date published: 19 October 2009

Today sees the launch of 'Lets face it...' posters on billboards across Rochdale.

Using dramatic images of young people injured by fireworks they are designed as a shocking focus to start this year's safety campaign organised by the Treacle Partnership.

Treacle Partnership is a multi agency collaboration to reduce the impact of the Halloween and Bonfire Night period on the communities of Greater Manchester particularly targeting anti social behaviour, inappropriate sales and misuse of fireworks and reducing firework injuries and accidental property fires caused by bonfires.

The partnership is made up of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Health and Safety Executive and representatives from the ten metropolitan local authorities.

In the third year of collaboration between its members the partnership is hoping to build on previous successful campaigning and initiatives which have seen marked improvements such as anti social behaviour reduced by 14.8% and firework related incidents reduced by 33%.

Using billboards, posters, radio adverts, television adverts and a dedicated webpage, safe4autumn.com, the Treacle Partnership are aiming to reduce the very real impact that the actions of a small minority of people have on all our communities during what have become traditional celebrations.

The campaign is designed to highlight the dangers and possible consequences of anti social behaviour, particularly the misuse of fireworks, around the Halloween and Bonfire Night periods.

The campaign is also designed to give people easy access to information to help them enjoy the period safely, and to provide links to services available to all.

Jim Owen, Assistant County Fire Officer (Fire Safety) for GMFRS said: “Our aim is to ensure that everyone enjoys this time for all the right reasons, and not one person in Greater Manchester suffers the type of catastrophic and life changing injuries we have previously seen. By working with our partners in this way we want to ensure that everyone can enjoy a happy and safe Halloween and Bonfire Night."

Chief Superintendent Rush added: “Halloween and Bonfire Night can be a lot of fun for many people, but it can also be distressing and intimidating for some of our residents.

“We don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun; we and our partners just want to raise awareness of the consequences of anti-social behaviour. This could be a visit by police to an offender’s home or an £80 on the spot fine and a criminal record. My advice for a safe and enjoyable Halloween and Bonfire is to respect others, use fireworks responsibly and attend an organised event.”