Council News Issue No: 183
CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2018
Weekly information from us to you
ON POINT: Council’s Environmental Health Coordinator Sharomi Dayanand with Needles the Echidna at Wednesday’s storytime session
Storytime teaches kids how to Be Sharps Smart Wagga Wagga City Council is spreading the message to local children on how to Be Sharps Smart, through interactive storytime sessions in schools, pre-schools and day care centres. On Wednesday Needles the Echidna and Council’s health officers attended Town &
Country Children’s Centre for an interactive storytime session, where Council’s illustrated Be Sharps Smart book was read out to the children. The book helps children to identify sharps in public spaces, educates them on the dangers of sharps while teaching them not to touch sharps. Each storytime session finishes with a question and answer session, which allows children to test their new knowledge and show their understanding of how to stay safe in the community. Council’s Environmental Health Coordinator Sharomi Dayanand said
children thoroughly enjoyed the storytime sessions. “This project has been a huge success and we look forward to delivering more storytime sessions across the region,” Ms Dayanand said. “Council is committed to a comprehensive sharps awareness campaign and aims to ensure residents of all ages can easily access information on how to correctly dispose of needles and syringes.” Council’s illustrated book Be Sharps Smart, which was partly funded by NSW Ministry of Health, was launched in September last year.
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Over the past six months more than a hundred books have been made available in schools, pre-schools and day care centres. If children find a sharp object, they should take the following steps: • Step away! Leave it where it is and notify an adult straight away • Adults are encouraged to call Council or the NSW Needle Clean-Up Hotline on 1800 633 353. A trained person will then come and collect the object Read Council’s ‘Be Sharps Smart’ book and find out more information at wagga.nsw.gov.au/sharps.