Local environmental test company R P Air Testing Ltd is helping to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by sponsoring a poster competition for Year's 5 & 6 children at Brancaster CE VA Primary School, which MD Ros Piggott’s grandson attends.

The Year 6 (ages 10-11) entries will also be submitted to the national competition organised by independent, registered charity CO-Gas Safety.

Judging the competition will be Maggie Staithe AIEMA (Senior Contaminated Land Officer of Environmental Health & Housing Department, KLWNBC) and Mr Leigh Bagshaw (Community Fire Officer, King's Lynn) on Friday 17th May between 1.00pm and 3.15pm. Mr Henry Bellingham MP is kindly supporting the event and will be presenting prizes to winners of the competition. Lots of activities are planned for the occasion, which has been arranged for all children attending the school.

Managing Director, Ros Piggott said: "I was first contacted by Mrs Stephanie Trotter OBE, President of CO Gas Safety who asked if I could help promote their poster awareness competition in my local area? Knowing that the competition attracts a large number of entries, I decided that to help encourage entry at my grandson’s school, it would be a good motivator if we sponsored a mini competition for them. The school Head, Mrs Sarah Bocking, has welcomed the opportunity for the children to learn of the importance of CO Gas." Ros continued: "Earlier in January, I was delighted to attend the CO GAS Safety Primary Schools Poster Competition Prize Winners charity tea & 17 years of CO-Gas Safety Data of Deaths & Injuries from Unintentional Carbon Monoxide Poisoning event, held in the Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords. Some of the speeches and statistics were quite shocking, which has made me more determined to help promote the cause. Carbon monoxide (CO) is such a hidden danger and cannot be sensed using humans senses. Less than 2% of CO can kill in between one and three minutes. I am really hoping that all children taking part will go home and spread the word to all their families of the importance of being aware of the dangers, knowing how to avoid CO and installing CO alarms in homes to stay safe."


Henry Bellingham, MP for North West Norfolk said: "I recently met Ros Piggott at a Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Awareness event at the Palace of Westminster – I would like to pay tribute to Ros for her indefatigable championing of this really good cause and I am delighted to be presenting the prizes on 17th May."

The winning entry and a full report of the Brancaster CE VA Primary School event will be published soon after the 17th May, which is hoped will be attended by local press and anyone else interested in helping promote the dangers of Carbon Monoxide.

The CO-Gas Safety national competition is open to all schools with Year 6 children. Full details of entry, prizes and a downloadable power point presentation full of colourful amusing pictures for ages 10-11, can be found on their website at www.co-gassafety.co.uk/competition together with lots of information about carbon monoxide and the action the charity is lobbying for Government and industry to take to prevent these avoidable tragedies.