Listen up! It’s noise action week!

To mark this event Southend schoolchildren are being urged to take part in a poster competition, organised by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Environmental Protection Team.

The contest, illustrating this year's Noise Action Week - Shhh say no to noise, is divided into three age groups and themes:

* For children under seven the theme is 'Sources of Noise'.

* For children aged from eight to 11, the themes are 'Sources of noise' and 'How to reduce noise in my school/community'.

* For teenagers aged from 12 to 16 the themes are 'Sources of noise' 'How noise affects us' and 'How to reduce noise in my school/community'.                                    

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Head of Public Protection, Dipti Patel, said: "We are staging this competition to help children to be more aware of the sources of noise, to learn how noise can affect our health and wellbeing, and how we can reduce this in school, and in the community.

"Noise Action Week is a national campaign which gives us a chance for us to focus on the issues caused by excessive noise at home, at work, at study and leisure."

"This year's national campaign concentrates on matters like:

• Headphones and hearing
• Student noise and how to deal with it
• Licensing and Licensed premises and

Noisy neighbours - Southend's campaign this year will especially encourage residents with burglar alarms to give the Council details of their key holders.

Dipti added: "Noise affects everyone's quality of life at some stage, and noise problems are frequently solved by neighbours communicating with each other, or by using the Council's noise control services, and by other simple practical solutions.

"We hope that in their entries to this competition, students will show clearly and imaginatively, their ideas about how noise is produced, and how it can be reduced.

"The closing date is Wednesday 5th May. Entries will be judged by a VIP and Council representatives. Winners from each category will be awarded prizes and certificates, and will be exhibited in Southend Civic Centre and on the Council's website."

Posters can include artwork and key words and must be A4 format (297mm x 210 mm) in landscape or portrait layout. The name of the school, the student's name, age and grade must be on the back of each poster.

Entries should be sent to: Deborah Casey, Environmental Protection Team, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Floor 12, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue , Southend-on-Sea SS2 6ZG            

For more information about this media release please call the press desk on 01702-215000 ext 5505 or e-mail media@southend.gov.uk.