Newtownabbey Borough Council, in partnership with Home Accident Prevention Newtownabbey, is holding a free workshop provided by RoSPA to raise awareness of the dangers of window blind cords. 

The workshop will take place on Thursday 20 September in Mossley Mill at 7pm lasting approximately 2 hours.  The main focus will be on blind cord safety but other related accident types will be addressed including choking accidents, strangulation and suffocation risks. The event aims to improve awareness of these potential dangers and the ways in which the risk of such deaths can be reduced. 

Since 1999 at least 22 children have died in the UK as a result of strangulation by a blind cord. Window blind cords are a potentially lethal trap for small children in many homes in Northern Ireland. Children can become entangled in the loop created by a blind or curtain cord; they are often unable to call for help and lack the strength to get the cord away from their neck.

Places are open to anyone but may be of particular interest to those who make or sell blinds and those working in the statutory, voluntary or community sector who have links to families with young children, e.g. health visitors, family support workers, midwives, social workers, childcare providers and childminders.  Parents as well as older people regularly involved in the care of their grandchildren are also welcome to attend.

Places are free but limited, so to reserve one at the workshop please call 028 9034 0160 or email envhealth@newtownabbey.gov.uk, leaving your name and a contact telephone number.  To receive a text message confirming your place, please leave a mobile number.