A charity team that has been helping to boost the creativity, health and life-saving skills of primary schoolchildren across the West Midlands joined pupils at a school in Solihull to receive their national awards.

The founder, ambassadors and trustees of The Conies, a cartoon traffic-cone- shaped family of safety heroes for children, received the highest accolade given to volunteer groups across the UK.

His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Derrick Anderson CBE presented the group with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, which recognises outstanding work by volunteer groups that benefit their local communities, in a ceremony at Haslucks Green Junior School in Shirley.

The King’s official representative was welcomed by Haslucks Green Head Teacher Helen Street and first year pupils who went on to perform the teeth brushing song they had recorded with fellow pupils at Damson Wood Infant School in Solihull for a Conies video in support of World Oral Health Day.

In his address to the pupils, Mr Anderson explained his role in spreading the message of the concerns that are important to the king and to the world including helping everyone to be the best they can be.

Dr Anderson also watched a screening of the Conies’ Brushing Your Teeth animation, made in collaboration with the Graphiti design studio in Mumbai, after which he told the children: “This is an example of a simple way of getting out a message about something that is important and something that will help you.”

The Lord-Lieutenant and his assistant, Cadet Company Sergeant Major Bryony Sheard, presented Fay Goodman, founder and chair of The Conies as well as an acclaimed martial artist and personal safety trainer, with a certificate and trophy.

In doing so, he said: “This award is for an organisation of volunteers that have come together to lift other people up in an exceptional way.”

Fay Goodman remarked: “On behalf of the Conies ambassadors, trustees and partners and all our wonderful volunteers, I would like to express our sincerest thanks for this incredibly special recognition. This award strengthens our mission through The Conies in helping to empower all children not only here but globally to look after themselves and lead happy, respectful and meaningful lives.”

Damson Wood Infant School pupils were represented at the ceremony by their Head Teacher Kieran Prescott. The Conies team present included Howard Rose (Ambassador, Volunteer and Trustee), Natelle Williams, Jane Williams (both Ambassadors and Volunteers) and Paul Street (Ambassador and Volunteer).

The Conies was founded in 2014 and officially became a registered charity in 2019. It encourages schools, parents, and children to take part in the exciting adventures of the Conies characters, while keeping up with new initiatives on their website and social media.

These initiatives include Conies Safe Explorers, a new free series of workshops to help children develop their musical and artistic creativity as part of their safety education. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, the workshops enable 4 to 11-year-olds to enjoy art and music sessions while learning how to protect themselves in areas such as roads, rivers, railway lines and building sites as well as in their homes and gardens and while online.

Additionally, the organisation welcomes support, collaboration and partnerships to help achieve its mission and vision for children’s and young people’s safety.

For more information about The Conies, please visit www.theconies.org. The Conies is a registered charity.

Ends

Issued on behalf of The Conies Charity by Simon Hale PR (07970 802494/[email protected]).

For more details, please contact Fay Goodman on 07976 426463 or email [email protected].

Notes to Editors

1 Since 2017, more than 300,000 children have taken part in The Conies' Walking to School Safely course, which uses interactive techniques to teach road safety. The related journal, which is available in interactive form on The Conies website, also encourages healthy habits including sensible eating, dressing appropriately, and personal hygiene. Pilot programmes showed full engagement, highlighting the effectiveness of The Conies’ approach to safety and health education.

2 Lord-Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties. The West Midlands Lieutenancy is the second largest lieutenancy in England and Wales supporting a population of three million people across the seven local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton

3 This year there are 232 recipients of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands

4 More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/