Young people from schools across Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor will be learning skills to keep them safe as part of a community safety initiative.

The project, called ‘Think Safe’, is organised by the Safer North Hampshire community safety team and the local councils, and is designed to teach young people about a range of life skills, including fire safety, cyber safety, trading standards, first aid, road safety, healthy relationships and stranger danger.

The youngsters will spend time with Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire County Council, The You Trust, the Royal Military Police and the Community Patrolling Team, among others, learning through a series of interactive scenarios.

During the scenarios, youngsters will learn tactics for what to do if a stranger approaches them; how to respond to a casualty; how to stay safe online, how to identify products which could be harmful, what to do if there is a fire at home, and how to stay safe on local army ranges.

The ‘Think Safe’ initiative will be held in Rushmoor later this month and in Hart and Basingstoke and Deane in July.

Cllr Ken Muschamp, Chairman of Safer North Hampshire, said: “We would like to thank the representatives from all of the organisations taking part for offering their time to teach young people skills which they will use throughout their lives.

“These sessions will hopefully encourage young people to think about many of the vital elements that contribute to living a happy, healthy and successful life, which can only be a good thing. They may also learn important skills that they can pass on to their parents and grandparents.”