50 years of keeping people safe

Home Accident Prevention Foyle have called it a day after 50 years of helping to keep local people safe.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Jan 2017, 08:16 BST
Updated 24th Jan 2017, 09:18 BST
Deputy Mayor Colr Jim McKeever pictured with committee members at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. From left. Albert Smallwoods, Collette Craig, Ann McElhenney, Colr Angela Dobbins, Paul Rafferty and Joan Henderson. DER0317GS008Deputy Mayor Colr Jim McKeever pictured with committee members at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. From left. Albert Smallwoods, Collette Craig, Ann McElhenney, Colr Angela Dobbins, Paul Rafferty and Joan Henderson. DER0317GS008
Deputy Mayor Colr Jim McKeever pictured with committee members at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. From left. Albert Smallwoods, Collette Craig, Ann McElhenney, Colr Angela Dobbins, Paul Rafferty and Joan Henderson. DER0317GS008

The committee went out on a high note after gathering for a reception in the Guildhall on Thursday night to mark both the 50th anniversary of the organisation and its closure.

During the event, long-standing members of the group, Albert Smallwoods (NI President) and Collette Craig (Foyle President) were presented with a gift from Deputy MayorMr. Jim McKeever.

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Over the past five decades, Home Accident Prevention (HAP) Foyle has led numerous safety initiatives and campaigns and carried out work with schools, emergency services, the local council and other agencies to help ensure people were aware of safety issues and potential hazards.

Joan Henderson, Tony Henderson and Helen Parke pictured at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. DER0317GS006Joan Henderson, Tony Henderson and Helen Parke pictured at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. DER0317GS006
Joan Henderson, Tony Henderson and Helen Parke pictured at the recent mayoral reception in the Guildhall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Home Accident Prevention Foyle. DER0317GS006

Committee member and SDLP Councillor Angela Dobbins said that the group agreed to disband the organisation because there were now many other agencies and organisations taking on the mantle and developing the pioneering work undertaken by HAP over the years.

Colr. Dobbins said: “Our main objective was to raise awareness of accidents which happen in the home. Throughout the years we have done school competitions, and public speaking competitions for all different age groups, quizzes and distributed leaflets and energy efficient light bulbs for older people.

“When it came to Hallowe’en we did the big campaign around fireworks, and others around hair straighteners and dangers to children, electric blankets, carbon monoxide and we did a big campaign around loop blind cords. We got that legislation through to ensure manufacturers put safety measures in place to help prevent strangulation, and we have done demonstrations around the SureStarts on that. We also did a campaign to prevent children swallowing batteries.”

Colr. Dobbins paid tribute to the work of Albert, Collette Craig and the other committee members who have served on HAB down through the years.

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