11th November 2008
Hard-hitting theatre production to target young drivers
In the last three years over 500 young people aged 17 to 24 years have died or been seriously injured on the roads in Kent and Medway.
After extremely popular feedback from performances last year and in a bid to reduce these casualties, road safety partners are re-launching the hard-hitting theatre and film production ‘Licence to Kill?’
The launch will be at the Central Theatre, Chatham on Monday 17 November and students from schools in the area will be coming along to watch this emotive show. There will be further viewings in Canterbury and Maidstone, reaching over 5000 young people in just one week.
The award-winning production - aimed at year 12 and 13 students - draws its power from the personal testimonies of emergency service personnel and those that have lost loved ones in collisions on the roads.
A student commenting on last years’ show said: “What an impact the show has had on me and many, if not most of the students I was with. Not only did it leave me in tears it left me a lot more awake to the consequences of being careless when driving. Not only did it wake me, it also made me realise what life is about and sometimes it can only take one lift home. I cannot express how much what I watched has done for me.”
This year includes the testimonies of two young women from East Sutton Park Prison in Maidstone, both of whom were sent to prison for causing death by dangerous driving. For legal reasons they cannot be named or give interviews, however one of them said: "I really hope that that by taking part in this production the audience will see the consequences of speeding. I would ask all new drivers to think about how fast they're going and what could happen. I was only doing 44mph in a 30mph zone and didn’t realise the danger. Now I have to live the rest of my life knowing that I killed someone."
Stuart Skilton Head of Community Fire Safety for Kent Fire & Rescue said: “Licence to Kill? is designed to deliver a hard-hitting message to young drivers by making them aware of their responsibilities on the road and the potentially lethal results of failing to do so. Too many young drivers are dying or being seriously injured on our roads including passengers as well as other road users. Along with our partners we want to drive down these casualties so that other families do not have to suffer the same tragedies.”
Log onto
www.licencetokill.org| to find out more about the campaign.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
• Licence to Kill will be launched at the Central Theatre Chatham on Monday 17 November. If you will be sending a reporter and/or photographer to the launch please contact Kent Fire and Rescue Service Press Office on 01622 692121.
• The performance will start at 10.30 am and finish at approximately 12.00 when interviews will be possible.
Please note interviews will not be possible before the performance.
• For legal reasons interviews, filming and photographs
will not be permitted with the young women from East Sutton Park Prison.
• Further opportunities to see the production are:
Thursday 20 November at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Friday 21 November at Mote Park Leisure Centre, Maidstone
Please contact the press office for further details for these dates.
• Licence to Kill? is produced by a road safety partnership including Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent County Council, Kent Police, Medway Council, Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership and South East Coast Ambulance Service
• Local schools and colleges attending the launch performance on Monday 17 November include:
Gravesend Grammar for Girls
Rainham School for Girls
Howard Grammar School
Mid Kent College
Chatham Grammar School for Girls
Northfleet School for Girls
Chapter Business and Enterprise College
Walderslade Joint Sixth Form (Walderslade Girls' School and Greenacre School for Boys)
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