Nomination

1. What did the campaign set out to achieve?

The student and wider community of York were shocked by the spate of deaths in York rivers in just three consecutive months. In response, an emergency river safety summit was held in the city and a sub group to the Safer York Partnership were tasked with the River Safety Campaign, with the key objective of preventing river-related incidents across the City of York.

As a key partner in the campaign, The University of York Students’ Union (YUSU) contribution to the campaign was to start the ‘NightSafe’ scheme; specifically designed to tackle the issue of student fatalities connected to the river after nights out. Kallum Taylor, ex-president of YUSU, explains the purpose of the scheme:

‘NightSafe is a student-led street volunteer scheme where a group of student go out every student night and basically patrol key routes giving out water, sandals, food, making sure if they see a student alone they get seen to and making sure students get home properly.’

2. How was the campaign delivered and who was involved?

The River Safety Campaign was and still is, delivered through multiple-partners to ensure the campaign is as far-reaching and impact-full as possible. Key partners from across York including emergency services, commercial boat operators, North Yorkshire Police, The York Evening Press and the city’s two university students’ unions came together to contribute to the campaign. Several channels of activity have now been implemented to prevent future tragedies. YUSU’s contribution is a part of a much wider campaign that has targeted multiple audiences.

NightSafe was launched to coincide with Fresher’s week 2014. 62 student volunteers including 12 team leaders were recruited and trained by local charities and authorities to ensure the safety of students and residents.

Every YUSU student night across the year is patrolled by NightSafe and offers an invaluable service to people out in the city centre. Students have shown outstanding commitment to the scheme and volunteers have contributed just over 12,000 hours of their time, equating to £78,000 worth of wages.

3. What did the campaign achieve and what change has been made to students and the community as a result of the campaign?

From the very beginnings of NightSafe, the student-led initiative was praised by both local and national politicians with reference being made to NightSafe in the House of Commons. Jackie Roberts, mother of the university student Megan Roberts, who drowned following a night out, said specifically about NightSafe: ‘From a parents perspective I would like to thank them wholeheartedly for what they are doing.’

In a three month period NightSafe helped; 29 University of York, 8 York St. John students and 14 local people on nights out, not forgetting the 3,000 bottles of water, 700 sick bags, 500 foil blankets and 200 pairs of flip flops that have been handed out since its creation. One student who has used the scheme said:

‘During Freshers’ I lost my flat mates. The girl from NightSafe gave me some flip flops so I could take my heels off and got me in a taxi to my halls. It was so good that there was a student who could sort me out!’

Another student said:

‘When students kept disappearing after nights out and discovered in the river, it was shocking. It is nice to know there is someone there preventing this sort of thing.’

Julia Mulligan – Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire said:

‘This is a really innovative scheme that students have developed and I am pleased it is proving to be successful. I would like to thank all of those involved for helping York to be a safer place.’

In support Ms Mulligan has also donated £750 for new radios and the scheme has been heralded as such a success by North Yorkshire Police that the authority has granted a further £5000 to YUSU to fund NightSafe into the next academic year.

The River Safety Campaign has also influenced other cities in their work to prevent river-related incidents. YUSU offered advice and a code of best practice in the development of a similar scheme run by students in Durham, where there was starkly similar demand for the service.

Furthermore, NightSafe has received a volunteering award from Higher York, the partnership agency for FE and HE institutions in York, accredited to the opportunities the initiative provides for students to gain skills.

Although it cannot be directly attributed to NightSafe and the wider campaign, there have been no incidents of student fatalities in the rivers of York this academic year.