The Risk Factory

The Risk Factory is to receive a boost from the Gas Safety Trust as they pledge to sponsor the community safety education centre for the next three years.

The Gas Safety Trust will present £2,000 to The Risk Factory tomorrow (August 24). This contribution shows just how valuable they feel the messages delivered by the centre are.

The sponsorship will go towards the house scenario, which is used to educate young people about the dangers in and around their own homes. The house scenario includes a fitted kitchen with a gas cooker, faulty combi – boiler, gas meter and audible CO alarm.

The Risk Factory has been a success story since it opened in February 2007. It is Scotland’s first purpose built, interactive community safety centre and the aim is to teach young people, how to stay safe and to help others do the same.

Inside the building, realistic settings are used to highlight safety messages. Scenarios are outlined by a dedicated team of volunteers and safety areas include a road, bus,  railway line and a building site to name but a few.

Councillor Paul Edie, Community Safety Leader, said: “It’s fantastic to see The Risk Factory receive support from the Gas Safety Trust. The centre is a great environment for children to learn about dangerous or anti-social behaviour, reducing incidents and dealing with emergencies in the future. It would not be possible to run the centre without sponsorship or the volunteers who help make the centre such a roaring success.”

Nigel Dumbrell, Head of Charitable Operations at the Gas Safety Trust, said: “One of the real dangers in the home is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year it needlessly claims lives, lives which often would be saved through some simple education and training. That’s why we’re so pleased to be supporting The Risk Factory for the next three years.”

The Risk Factory is funded by the City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, West Lothian Council, Lothian and Borders Police and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service. It is located in a purpose built unit in Chesser and is staffed by City of Edinburgh Council employees and secondees from Lothian and Borders Police and Fire and Rescue Service.