Laois Girl Named As FBD Farm Safe Schools Regional Champion

The school is currently taking part in the Farm Safe Schools pilot programme.

A Laois student has been named the FBD Farm Safe Schools Regional Champion.

Clodagh George is a 4th class pupil at St Arles National School. 

The school is currently taking part in the Farm Safe Schools pilot programme which aims to kickstart farm safety conversations in classrooms nationwide.

Each month one dedicated Champion is selected from each region and awarded a certificate of achievement and a family pass to Dublin Zoo, kindly sponsored by FBD.   These Champions are those children who are demonstrating excellence, innovation and commitment to improving farm safety awareness as part of the pilot programme. 

The Regional Champions have gone above and beyond what is expected of them within the programme.  They are passionate not just about farming but about making sure the message of farm safety is included and very much part of the conversation in their classrooms, at home and in their community.

Farm Safe Schools coordinator and AgriKids founder, Alma Jordan explained what made Clodagh stand out from the crowd.

‘‘We received a huge volume of entries for this inaugural FBD Regional Awards and it proves the ability and capability of our children to change the culture around farm safety’. Clodagh’s great love of farming and knowledge of all thing’s agricultural has really inspired the children in her class to take an active role in promoting health and safety on their farms and in the local area. She has also done videos and worked on the programme over the Easter holidays, this is exactly what Farm Safe Schools is all about’. 

The Farm Safe Schools pilot is a joint collaboration between Agri Aware, AgriKids, the IFA and is supported by the FBD Trust.

FBD Chief Commercial Officer, John Cahalan, explains why this aspect of the programme is so important. 

“The Farm Safe Schools programme not only empowers our children to prioritise safety, but also champions those children who are passionate about the topic and have the potential to enact real change. We at FBD are proud to support this programme. We welcome any opportunity to promote farm safety and I am delighted that FBD is sponsoring this innovative schools programme to improve farm safety awareness across the country.”

The Farm Safe Schools pilot programme has so far been hailed a very successful collaboration between key stakeholders in the sector. 

IFA President Tim Cullinan said the programme is playing an important role in changing the culture around farm safety. 

“The school setting – whether in the classroom or remotely – is an excellent approach to reinforce an essential message. Recognising champions in the classroom instils a message the children can take with them through their lives,” he said. 

Agri Aware Chairman, Alan Jagoe expressed his delight to all the regional winners.

“The Farm Safe Schools programme sets out to create learning and understanding on the topic of farm safety to younger children.  These regional award winners are a testament to the talent, tenacity and potential our children have in creating a safer future on Irish farms.  I want to thank their teachers for bringing the programme into the classrooms and for recognising the champions in their class’. 

I would like to thank FBD Trust for its continued support of this dedicated farm safety programme,” added Mr Jagoe.   

The winners are:

Leinster: Clodagh George, 4th class, Arles National School, Co. Laois

Munster: Gearóid Ryan, Scoil Naomh Cualán, 3rd class, ,Co. Tipperary

Ulster: Conor, 6th class, Ballymore National School, Co. Donegal

Connacht: David Nally, 5th class, Castleplunkett National School, Co. Roscommon 

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