Safer South Derbyshire press release 23 May 2008 

A day of fun and entertainment that provided older people with the chance to find out about services, support and advice available to them was officially kicked off by Burton Albion Football Club manager Nigel Clough yesterday. (Thursday May 22).

Mr Clough visited many of the exhibitors’ stands at the Safer South Derbyshire Partnership’s Liberation Day 2008 event before taking to the stage, and he told the 500-plus strong audience: "There are so many things that you don’t know about until you come here."

He also praised the young people – Year 9 students from John Port School in Etwall, Pingle School in Swadlincote and William Allitt School in Newhall – who spent the day doing a range of jobs to make the day as enjoyable as possible for the people aged 50 and over attending.

"It’s lovely to see all the youngsters helping," he said.

The theme for the event was Seaside Special and organisers and some of the stallholders dressed and decorated their stalls in keeping. The Swadlincote and District 50+ Forum offered visitors the chance to have their photo taken behind a comic seaside cardboard cut-out character and printed the photos off while guests waited. Over 400 people took this offer up!

Students from William Allitt School created a variety of cut-outs and hangings at their after-school Art Club to decorate Bretby Conference Centre where the event was held, and small areas of beach complete with sand, shells, bucket and spades and deck chairs were created in front of the stage.

Among the groups and organisations with stalls were Consumer Direct, Neighbourhood Watch, Age Concern, Derbyshire County Council Trading Standards, Derbyshire Criminal Justice Board and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Commenting after the event on behalf of the Safer South Derbyshire Partnership, Safer Neighbourhoods Officer Phil Marriott said: "Every year we say we cannot do better than the previous event, but once again we have improved Liberation Day.

"The Chair of the Safer South Derbyshire Partnership, Heather Wheeler and Derbyshire’s Chief Fire Officer Brian Treguna each said a few words at the opening about safety in South Derbyshire and the messages were re-iterated throughout the day.

"We have already received a lot of positive feedback from guests and exhibitors and we hope everyone went away having had a great day out and feeling safer."