Two internet safety events, hosted by Barney and Echo, were held in Whitby, North Yorkshire and Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire with funding provided by Quickline as part of our social value commitment to the communities where we’re deploying fast and reliable broadband.
The partnership between The Police Community Clubs of Great Britain and Amber Bee CIC, a community interest company, has seen the Barney and Echo project deliver two action-packed internet safety events, equipping young people with the skills and confidence to navigate the online world safely.
The roadshows brought together 580 children from 26 schools across the two areas, creating engaging, interactive environments where children could learn about responsible internet use, cyberbullying, and personal digital safety.
The first event held at Whitby Pavilion hosted 300 children from fourteen schools for a programme of activities and learning focused on promoting the message that mental health is just as important as physical health, and the importance of staying safe online.
A headteacher from a participating school said: “The children have learned the dangers of chats on games such as Roblox – I don’t think they understood how dangerous they could be, especially trusting people they don’t know.”
Whitby Police Community Support Officers team and YouThrive CIC delivered the workshops and Effectus Theatre performed an anti-bullying play to help children better understand cyberbullying. Whitby Jets Basketball Team closed the event with an energetic interactive session.
Centre4 in Grimsby welcomed 280 children from twelve schools to the second event with a similar programme of events.
Another headteacher, from a participating school, commented: “This was a great opportunity to reinforce the message to keep personal information safe, which is absolutely key.”
The success of both events was clear from the children’s responses with increased awareness of privacy settings, the risks of making new friends whilst playing online games and speaking to strangers online.
Sarah Lilleyman-Hall, Social Values Manager at Quickline, said: “Supporting the Barney and Echo roadshows is a perfect example of how we’re committed to more than just providing fast broadband to rural communities.
“We want to ensure young people have the knowledge and confidence to use the internet safely and responsibly. These events have equipped hundreds of children with lifelong skills that will help them navigate the digital world confidently.
“Through initiatives like these, we’re proud to support digital inclusion that goes beyond connectivity, ensuring that the communities we serve can thrive online safely.”
Find out more about how Quickline supports communities across rural Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news and updates.
