NO MESSIN’ AT WESTON-SUPER-MARE

Monday 18 Aug 2008

NO MESSIN’ AT WESTON-SUPER-MARE

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders; | Southern: Wessex; | Wales & Western; | Southern

Calling all young contenders! So you reckon you've got skills? Well it's time to prove it! Network Rail is bringing its summer No Messin' Live! tour to town - and they're looking for young people with the bottle to try something new - whether it's DJing, cheerleading, urban dance or practising fancy footwork with Colin Nell, the famous football freestyler.

All activities are free and open to anyone aged between 9 and 16 years, from noon to 4pm at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre on 29 – 30 August 2008. MP John Penrose will also be attending the event on Friday, 29 August at 2.30pm.

The award winning No Messin' campaign is run by Network Rail and is aimed at tackling crime and saving lives on the railway. It gives young people the opportunity to try something different and maybe find a new interest - away from messing around on or near railway lines.

Dozens of people are killed or seriously injured on the railway every year by mucking about on the tracks. Weston-Super-Mare has the second largest number of rail crime incidents in the West Country and is among the top ten hotspots in the country, which is why the tour is coming to town.

The event is being supported by Avon and Somerset Fire Brigade, Weston Super Mare Youth Council and many others.

Activities include:
Athletics

Badminton

Basketball

Drama by Big Foot theatre company

Cheerleading

Clay modelling

Cricket

DJ-ing

Football

Football freestyle

Go Ride bike skills

Karate

Kick boxing

Motorbikes

No Messin' mural painting activity

Rock climbing

Skateboarding

Street Dance

Tennis

Trampoline

Tri-golf

Wrestling

MEDIA INVITE

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND OR SEND A PHOTOGRAPHER, PLEASE CONTACT MAVIS CHOONG AT NETWORK RAIL ON 01793 515 267 BY TUES 26 AUGUST 2008.

Notes to editors

No Messin' this year won the prestigious Business in the Community BUPA Healthy Communities Award. Network Rail has a team of ten rail crime education managers that work across the UK in conjunction with a range of community agencies and organisations including youth offending services; independent community, sports and youth groups; British Transport Police and local police; train operating companies, premiership and football league clubs, and schools to try and prevent crime by spreading awareness of the dangers of trespass on the railway and the consequences of vandalism and other crimes. It also works with these groups to encourage and involve young people in healthier and more purposeful activities including sports, music art and dance. Almost 1,200 incidents of railway crime were reported in the West Country last year with nearly half of these committed by young people. There were around 900 incidents of trespass – the most common offence, with a third of these being young people playing dangerously near or on the tracks. As it is impossible to record every incident, the true number is estimated to be much higher. Top five towns in the northern part of West Country with the most number of rail crime incidents are: 1. Bristol 2. Weston-Super-Mare 3. Swindon 4. Bath 5. Trowbridge

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

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Journalists
Network Rail press office -Western route
MediaRelationsWestern@networkrail.co.uk

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