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Kumho tyres and manchester united help kids with their crossing

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Manchester United FC’s legendary ground turns into the Theatre of Road Safety ahead of the game versus Tottenham, with some very special guests in attendance to help launch ‘Play Safer’.

Developed by Kumho Tyres and the MU Foundation, in conjunction with Greater Manchester Police, ‘Play Safer’ is a unique new football skills and road safety training programme for children aged 5 to 11 years.

‘Play Safer’ is the only programme of its kind in the world as it uses the skills of professional footballers – such as vision, awareness, anticipation and control – to teach kids about road safety, which makes it a fun, effective way to save lives. There are ten road safety skill cards to collect in total, featuring tips such as ‘Control it like Berbatov’ and ‘Play it safe like Van der Sar’.

Children will be able to enjoy free ‘Play Safer’ sessions coached by MU Foundation staff, with club mascot Fred the Red and some of the Manchester Legends joining in the fun, as well as displays from the Greater Manchester Police and Fire Brigade. The launch will also be attended by John Thrupp, Marketing Director for Kumho Tyres, Alec McMurchy, Chief Inspector of Greater Manchester Police and John Shiels, Chief Executive, MU Foundation John Thrupp, Marketing Director of Kumho Tyres says, “At Kumho we take our corporate responsibility very seriously and are committed to helping children stay safe on the roads through initiatives such as ‘Play Safer’.

“As official sponsor of Manchester United Football Club, our affiliation with the club and our partnership with Greater Manchester Police for this event provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of road safety in a fun and engaging way that children will both enjoy and learn from.”

John Shiels, Chief Executive of the MU Foundation says, “Children’s safety is very important to us at the Foundation and so it is a privilege to work alongside our sponsor in launching the ‘Play Safer’ campaign.

“The event promises to be great fun and highly educational at the same time and we are looking forward to showing children how they can use football skills to keep safe on the road.”

Chief Inspector Alec McMurchy of Greater Manchester Police's Traffic Network Unit says, “Public safety is a top priority for Greater Manchester police. ‘Play Safer’ will provide an ideal opportunity for children to learn about the risks and dangers associated with our roads. Using football skills and expertise from Manchester United offers an interesting way to equip children with the right knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe.”

Michelle Eagleton

Tuesday, 04 May 2010

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