Yr11 Amber’s & Eleanor’ film has been shortlisted in Educate Awards

On 24th October 2014, Bobby Colleran died following a road traffic accident outside of his primary school in West Derby. Since this tragic accident, the Colleran family have vowed to highlight road safety awareness through their ‘Slow Down for Bobby’ campaign.

Bobby’s death has been at the forefront of our pupils’ minds as his cousin, Year 11 pupil Amber Williams, attends Holly Lodge. Amber bravely decided to produce a road safety awareness film in memory of Bobby as part of her GCSE Media coursework. Amber could have chosen any subject matter but was determined to utilise this opportunity to convey the importance of road safety to an optimum audience, increase the visibility of the Colleran campaign and ultimately save lives. The aim was also to sustain the momentum of the ‘Slow Down for Bobby’ campaign 2 years after his death, with the awareness film ready for distribution to Liverpool schools close to the anniversary of the accident (which coincidentally is his mother’s, Joanne Colleran’s birthday) and Bobby’s birthday.
Amber, with the support of her peers and Media Teacher, Ms McInerney, researched the shocking local, national and international traffic accident statistics. Amber also selected videos showing her and her family enjoying happier times with Bobby which captured his personality showing that Bobby was like any 6 year old and accidents can be indiscriminate regardless of age. Footage was filmed, a script was written and a voiceover recorded. Amber also interviewed family members with often quite difficult questions as the passing of Bobby continues to be very recent and raw.
Amber took breaks from her work due to the understandable pressures of the project. Every step of the process was a reminder of the catalyst and very personal starting point for this ambitious project. However, due to her maturity, commitment, determination and focus, Amber completed the film. After much perseverance, fuelled by her passion to convey the road safety message and fundamentally save lives, Amber edited hours of sensitive film footage and audio and constructed an accomplished, hard-hitting, thought provoking short film.

The week approaching what would have been Bobby’s 8th birthday, Amber delivered a series of road safety awareness assemblies to all 720 pupils across all Key Stages and staff at Holly Lodge. In addition to this, copies of Amber’s film and questionnaires were sent to almost 40 primary schools across Liverpool. The response to the film and Tweets was overwhelming (see attached evaluations). The feedback brought tears to the eyes of many, as it was clear that Amber had achieved her road awareness objective:
‘We showed the film in a Year 5/6 Assembly to 250 children. The film will have a lasting impact on the children, due to the locations being familiar to them and an awareness of what had tragically happened to Bobby. The children were also shocked to hear how many children are affected by road accidents across the country and Merseyside each year. This was a powerful stimulus.’
Edward Flood, Headteacher, St. Paul’s Catholic Junior School

‘Remember how lucky we are. It could happen to anyone. Remind parents to slow down.’
Annamaria Roberts, Headteacher, St. Charles’ Catholic Primary

‘I did drive more carefully today and I have reminded students to pay more attention to traffic when traveling to/from school.’
Mr Sheppey, Music Teacher, Holly Lodge Girls’ College
The entire Colleran family were extremely grateful, touched and proud of Amber for reinforcing the importance of road safety to a large and varied audience.
Communication Legacy:
Whilst it is not possible to accurately calculate the impact that Amber’s film has had on the number of lives potentially saved, it is evident from the feedback that many have acknowledged road dangers and promised to think more carefully around roads:
‘The video had a huge impact on the Year 5 children about their own road safety. Year 5 will be showing the video to the rest of KS2 in assembly and will be delivering a short talk to the other children.’
Mary Connolly, Year 5 teacher, St. Christopher’s Primary

‘The pupils produced some awareness posters, as well as drafting a letter to a local MP to ask for better road conditions outside of our school.’
Matthew Lancaster Year 6 Teacher, Pleasant Street Primary

The legacy of Amber’s film is that the memory of Bobby Colleran lives on and that Amber’s road safety awareness film can be used as a teaching and learning resource in the future as a timely reminder for generations to come.

Good Luck on the 18th November at the Educate 2016 Awards!!!!! #EA16