Festival Place, Hampshire’s
regional shopping centre, to introduce Child Safe Zones
 The
scheme’s introduction on Tuesday 1st June in Basingstoke
will be the first time in the UK that a shopping centre, a
local police force and a borough council have worked together
on such an initiative. In cooperation with Basingstoke and
Deane Borough Council and Basingstoke Police, the Child Safe
Zone will protect children inside Festival
Place, throughout Basingstoke and across Hampshire. The
child safety scheme, will allow parents to pre-register their
child’s description, a recent photo, relevant medical
information and their contact details. Parents then manage
their own secure details, using a unique family ID and password,
and can access, or authorise access, at home or on holiday.
If the child goes missing, one quick call to the Child Safe
Zone call centre (operated 24/7) if inside Festival Place,
or to the police if outside the centre, means that a missing
poster can be created in a matter of minutes and e-mail or
faxed straight to the relevant authorities. Having an accurate
description and photo readily available dramatically reduces
the time taken to locate a lost child. The missing poster
can also be viewed on-line to help find the child quickly.
Bernard Ferris, centre director, Festival Place,
says: “Child safety is of paramount importance to us
and every shopping centre. Every parent knows the dread of
turning round and realising their child is missing. It can
happen in the blink of an eye, especially when children are
distracted by a busy environment. This scheme aims to provide
a safety net for children and parents alike. We are delighted
to be working with our community partners Basingstoke Police
and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on such an important
initiative.
Click here now to register with Child Safe Zones.
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