The Bobby Colleran Trust was initially established as a road safety charity spearheaded by the hugely successful Slow Down for Bobby Campaign. In recognition of the impact that bereavement has on children’s mental health, we began delivering 121 counseling within schools and in 2019, expanded the division to support the mental health of children and young people by launching the Take Care for Bobby campaign.
Today, our team works across the Liverpool City region to deliver both campaigns to both support mental and emotional wellbeing and practical safety to children and young people. We are proud to have launched a dedicated centre for wellbeing – Bobby’s Base – that will provide holistic and diverse mental health treatments and support for children and young people when it opens in Summer 2022.
Slow Down for Bobby
It is our mission to ensure that children and their families feel confident and safe when traveling to school without the fear of accidents and do all we can to prevent future tragedies like Bobby’s.
By working together, we can keep our children safe.
Bobby Zones
We are proud that more than 100 schools in the Liverpool City Region have implemented Bobby Zones in their schools and it is our mission to make this a national initiative.
The Bobby Zones slow traffic whilst maintaining flow without obstructions. We do this by enforcing the following Bobby Zone Code:
- Maximum speed limit 20 mph
- No stopping within the Zone
- No drop off or pick up within the Zone even if traffic stops
- No parking on pavements or even on the kerb within the Zone – this can force pedestrians onto the road or distract other drivers
- Practice extra vigilance and be aware that things can change quickly and children can be impulsive
- No parking in side streets blocking the walk-way for children to cross
We support schools Nationally to access the relevant information to implement Bobby Zones outside of their schools. If you would a Bobby Zone outside your school or would like more information please contact us.
Improvements to infrastructures
After a long campaign with Liverpool City Council, we were successful in implementing a number of significant improvements to Leyfield Road to improve the safety outside Bobby’s school -Blackmoor Park Infants & Junior School. This included the addition of guardrails, two flashing speed cameras, two pelican crossings with raised speed bumps and posts at the end of side roads to stop people parking unsafely. They have proven to be very successful in making the road safer.
We are available to support individuals and schools to work with local authorities to improve the safety measures around our schools. Contact us to discuss.
School assemblies
In September 2016, the Bobby Colleran Trust launched their first book ‘Super Bob’ written by local author Jude Lennon. We use the books in interactive, fun and educational assemblies to Primary schools across the North West with ‘Super Bob’ enabling us to deliver key messages to children about Road safety.
To date, we have delivered assemblies to more than 80,000 children.
We are able to support your school in a variety of ways. Free Hi-Viz vests are available through Bobby’s trust. Since November 2015 over 15k hi-viz vests have been given to school children & schools. In 2017 alone we gave out 4k vests by January. The vests make children more visible going to & from school in the winter months but also keep children safe when going out on school trips.
Take Care for Bobby
In 2020, we launched Take Care for Bobby, a mental health programme to expand our bereavement counseling service to provide accessible therapy and support for children and young people.
Bereavement and mental health support services
The death of Bobby has had a profound effect on Joanne and David (Bobby’s parents) and his three brothers, Harry, Frankie and Georgie. The family found that Child Bereavement Support Counseling was significant in helping the children to better understand their loss and grief and to develop coping strategies to manage anxieties and fears and sadness. The positive outcome of the counseling provided resulted in the Trust establishing a Children’s Bereavement counseling Service in April of this year 2018.
In partnership with Aquarius Counseling the Bobby Colleran Trust is providing support for grieving children and young people aged 5 to 19 years living or attending schools in the Liverpool, Huyton, Knowsley, and Sefton areas of Merseyside. The Counseling team led by an experienced qualified children’s counselor provide their therapy in creative ways, often spontaneous, involving artwork, music, role play, storytelling and dance in addition to talk therapy.
Our Bereavement Support provides:-
- One to one work in schools, Children Centres, and other local Child and Young People’s facilities.
- Loss and grief support is provided in both primary and secondary schools from reception to year 12.
- Family workgroups for Parent / Guardian/carers related to bereavement, loss and separation are facilitated.
- Family bereavement and loss support/therapy plays a valuable role in supporting children and young people in their bereavement and grief.
Please see our Bereavement Support page for further information on referring a child, or alternatively please email us at thebobbycollerantrustbobbysbase@outlook.com or call 07961 418796
Bobby’s Base
Bobby’s base will deliver free health and wellbeing support to children and young people across the city region when the charity plans to open in late Summer 2022.
Featuring three dedicated therapy rooms, including a group therapy space, the center will also feature a sensory garden and an informal chat and chill space to provide holistic and diverse mental health treatments and support for children and young people.
Bobby’s Base represents a dream milestone for us. Bobby’s Mum and founder of the Trust, Joanne, explains “Launching Bobby’s Base really is a dream for us and marks a special moment in our crusade to create a lasting legacy for Bobby. We just have the building so far but with the help of our supporters, we are confident that we can make a wellness hub that will provide a much-needed sanctuary and community space for the children and young people who need support right now.”
The Trust aims to officially open Bobby’s Base to children and young people in August 2022 and is welcoming donations of all sizes to support via their JustGiving page.
