Primary School Project
Safety Seymour
with Cadent
The brief
Teach primary-aged children what carbon monoxide is, why it’s dangerous and what to do about it, as part of Cadent’s customer safeguarding commitment.
Project Details
Client: Cadent
Year: 2015–present
Sector: Education (Key Stage 1)
Location: North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, East Anglia and North London
Partners
Cadent (previously National Grid Gas Distribution), with Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities
Delivery
Live and virtual, with adapted provision for SEN schools
Curriculum links
Drama, PSHE and Science
- 460,000children reached
- 1,128schools
- 4.5★teacher rating
- 2,000+sessions last year
- 12years of delivery
What we delivered
Safety Seymour, a superhero bear on a mission to save the planet from carbon monoxide, but he needs your help! With his own films, animation, workshops and take-home activity bags, delivered as a two-hour KS1 workshop with curriculum links to Drama, PSHE and Science.
Bonanza Creative, on behalf of Cadent Ltd (previously National Grid Gas Distribution Ltd), put together a package for schools to educate Key Stage 1 children about carbon monoxide and its dangers. After many months of hard work, design, film making and much more, the programme was completed and piloted in local schools in 2015. It involves a creative arts day in schools, embedding the learning and having lots of fun. We had a fantastic response, and the number of schools we visit has increased every year: we have now visited 1,128 schools.
Safety Seymour is at the heart of this messaging and very much at the heart of all of the children that have experienced his workshops. New collaborations with commercial radio stations as well as parliamentary groups have helped the programme grow even more. It continues to grow.
Safety Seymour was later joined by The CO Crew for KS2 with STEM links, and The NRG Mission, an energy-efficiency programme supporting vulnerable families. Delivered across 1,128 schools in the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, East Anglia and North London, live and virtually, with adapted provision for SEN schools.
Watch the films
Jaydee-Lee’s story
The CO safety programme
The impact
460,000 children reached, 1,128 schools and a 4.5-star teacher rating.
Safety Seymour is our flagship and longest-running programme. It has grown from 20 sessions in its first year to over 2,000 last year, over 12 years of delivery.
Outstanding feedback: high satisfaction from schools and parents, with outstanding reviews from over 800 primary schools, averaging 4.5+ stars.
Real-life impact: children have loved and remembered the key messages, and we have testimonials from teachers describing how the sessions have saved lives.
Safety Seymour was born…
Working with Cadent and other Gas Distribution Networks (Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities) across the country to raise awareness of carbon monoxide, educating children and the wider community, helping them achieve their regulatory (Ofgem) outputs and also contributing to their Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
The challenge
Cadent Gas, along with other Gas Distribution Networks such as Northern Gas Networks, SGN, and formerly National Grid Gas Distribution Ltd, faced a critical challenge: how to educate young children about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) in a way that is engaging and memorable. Traditional methods had proven insufficient in making a lasting impact on this young audience and the wider community.
Why children?
The primary reason for targeting children is that they can be powerful agents of change within their households and communities. Children are naturally curious and receptive to learning, making them ideal candidates for educational initiatives. Moreover, by educating children, the message of CO safety can be extended to their families, thereby increasing the overall reach and impact.
Why Bonanza Creative?
Bonanza Creative was chosen for this initiative due to our innovative approach to learning and community engagement. We specialise in interactive, creative learning sessions that make complex topics accessible and memorable for young audiences.
How the programme works
Interactive sessions
In-person creative learning sessions were conducted in schools using drama, art, film and dance to teach children about CO safety in an entertaining and engaging manner. Safety Seymour, a cuddly caped crusader, became the face of CO safety education for children in KS1 (years 2–3), making the learning process relatable and enjoyable. For KS2 (years 5–6), The CO Crew featured characters Mimi and Loz, focusing on the science of carbon monoxide, its production, symptoms and safety measures at home. Additionally, school assemblies were used to reach larger groups of children from years 1–6, ensuring the CO safety message was widely disseminated and had a greater impact.
Educational resources
Comprehensive educational packages including activity sheets, interactive content designed to reinforce the learning objectives, and a dedicated webpage with resources for teachers, parents and children, ensuring the information is accessible outside the classroom.
Community engagement
Programmes for families and the community, designed to extend the reach of the initiative beyond schools, including distributing free carbon monoxide alarms and conducting awareness campaigns.
The day a seven-year-old saved her family
Jaydee-Lee Dummett was seven when Safety Seymour visited her school. Weeks later she recognised the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning at home and got her family out. She’d remembered what the bear had taught her. That’s the difference between an awareness campaign and learning a child carries home.
Jaydee-Lee went on to win the Child of Courage award at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2019.
Book A Workshop
If your school would like to arrange a Safety Seymour – CO Awareness workshop, click below and enter your details. Once received, we will be in touch to get you booked in.
