Ards and North Down Borough Council and the Ards and North Down Police and Community Safety Partnership funded a two-week BeeSafe educational programme. The event hosted over 1700 Primary 7 pupils from more than 44 schools across the borough.

The programme targeted children preparing for the transition from primary school. It covered bus safety, fire safety, home safety, internet safety, anti-social behaviour and mental health.

Mayor Gillian McCollum visited Ards Arena Youth Resource Centre at the end of the programme. She noted the event equipped pupils for their move to secondary school.

PCSP Chair Pete Wray described BeeSafe as a multi-agency initiative to promote community and personal safety. He stated it aims to reduce anti-social behaviour, crime and fear of crime in the borough.

Wray added that Primary 7 marks a key stage for engaging young people with safety messages as they enter secondary school.