In the community

The van is primarily an educational tool on wheels, explaining the tenby10 project to the community as well as being a one-stop-shop for all things tenby10. All types of literature on tenby10 is available from the van, from detailed overviews of the project and work-to-date to more specific family friendly health and hygiene tips for around the home. The van is geared towards fun activities for children such as spacehopper balls for toddlers and the tenby10 handball target for school-aged children as well as big kids! There are also competitions, prizes and giveaways for all ages. Partners of the tenby10 project operate and manage the van and are on hand to answer any queries relating to the project.

Booking the van

To apply to have the tenby10 Community Van at your event:

 

1. Read through 'Van Guidelines and Application', available as either PDF or Word document format for download below. This will explain the purpose of the van and the type of events the van will attend.

 

2. Fill out the Online Application Form below and submit, or download either the word document file or PDF file and send completed application to:

E: tanya.tilley@nyrstar.com

F: 08 8638 1552

Post: Stakeholder Relations Office, Nyrstar Port Pirie, PO Box 219, Port Pirie SA 5540.

 

3. Once consideration has been given to the request, the nominated event organiser will be contacted. A letter confirming attendance or non-attendance at the event will also be forwarded to the event organiser.

 

If a decision to attend an event has been made, information outlining van requirements, such as space and power requirements, will be sent to the event organiser who will also be notified of what activities will be undertaken by the tenby10 van at the event. Van Reference & Guideline Materials - 65Kb

Following a CSIRO study 'Grain Quality and Contamination Around Port Pirie', conducted over three years in the Port Pirie region, along with results from previous studies 'Heavy Metal Contamination of Soils Around a Lead Smelter at Port Pirie South Australia' and 'Contamination of Wheat Crops Around a Lead-Zinc Smelter', conducted in 1977 and 1981 respectively, a committee made up of representatives from the local farming community, Port Pirie Smelter, ABB Grain, AWB, SAFF/Grains Council and PIRSA was formed. This committee aims to seek solutions for grain growers in the area who may be compromised due to their proximity to the Smelter as a result of minimum residue levels being reduced worldwide.

The Smelter highly values and nurtures the input of the Port Pirie community and recognises the importance of this partnership as integral to the success of the tenby10 project. As a result, the Smelter has increased participation and support for community events to enable wider delivery of the tenby10 message. The Smelter provides sponsorship for the Port Pirie Smelters Picnic, a local public holiday and the biggest event on the Port Pirie calendar, along with a range of other community and sporting events, including: the annual Christmas Pageant, New Year's Eve Party and Uniting Care Wesley's Christmas Appeals.

In 2005 and 2006, studies were undertaken within the Port Pirie community with regards to attitudes and knowledge of the lead issue. This information, gathered through interviews with both smelter workers and members of the community, was crucial in understanding what the community thought about the lead issue and to identity strategies to best engage both the community and the smelter workforce in the project. Results of this research have since been used to develop and implement initiatives both on site and in the community and have also been used to improve the tenby10 communications strategy.

Regular 'Community Update' editorial columns within the local newspapers, The Recorder and The Flinders News, are sponsored by the Smelter. The columns update the public on the key activities and initiatives being undertaken at the Smelter site and successes of the tenby10 project as it moves forward.

 

With the support of The Recorder and The Flinders News, a 12 page lift-out entitled 'Our Smelter' was produced to illustrate and explain how the Smelter and the Port Pirie community are working together to achieve the goal of tenby10.

 

We also would like to acknowledge The Recorder for use of stories written by them and published on this website.

Various tenby10 displays/branding messages placed into the community have increased community awareness and promoted community ownership of the tenby10 project goal. These include:

 

-          Television and radio campaigns

-          A website

-          Information DVD

-          Phone Helpline

-          The Community Van

-          Healthy Eating brochures

-          Information booklets and stands

-          Billboards

-          Street sweepers

-          Regular press advertising and editorial columns

-          Community newsletters

-          Activity and information tent at the Smelters Picnic, Australia Day, Kindy Days, Youth Week, Tarpari Wellbeing Day and School Family Fun Nights

-          Activity sheets for children

-          Street banners

-          Posters

-          Canvas signs within the community

-          Signage at partnership sites (soccer, rowing clubs)

-          Banners and signage at tenby10 sponsored sporting/community events

-          Souvenirs

-          Tent cards for display in cafes and restaurants

-          Stickers

 

> Click here to view the tenby10 TV ads

In late 2005, 23 Port Pirie residents formed a landmark Citizen's Jury that ranked environmental issues facing the Smelter. It was the first time in Australia a community group was assembled for this purpose. Their prioritised list was handed to the Environment Protection Authority and was taken into consideration when the site negotiated new environmental improvement programs.

This group later became know as the CANdo group (Community Action Network Delivering Outcomes). Made up of 12-15 community representatives, the CANdo group actively looks at ways to identify and implement different projects in the community to reduce blood lead levels and improve the reputation of Port Pirie outside of the community. Group members include young mothers and fathers, retirees, teachers, child nurses, representatives from the indigenous community and other interested members of the community. The CANdo group meets on a monthly basis.

Among its roles are to:

-          Assist in the education of the community

-          To design and implement community projects to support the 'tenby10' project

-          To design and implement community projects to support improvements to the local environment.

Current CANdo members are Melanie Prior (Chair), Mick Dillon, Mona Wilson, Lucy Evans, Trevor Werfel, Tom Flynn, Elin Mezzino, Anne Franks, Angela Smallacombe, Paul Oborn and Geof Keane.

Ellendale Kindergarten has expanded its nutrition program with the help of the tenby10 project, saying that support from the project has been of great assistance in ensuring the students were eating healthy. They also said "We already had a nutrition program policy in place where students bring in healthy foods and were taught healthy lifestyle choices. When the tenby10 project was instigated, we thought it was a valuable resource to tap into and the students really enjoyed participating in the healthy eating sessions each day.  While they are eating their healthy foods, they create meaningful relationships which also assist with their social and emotional wellbeing.  Also getting food in their bellies before they start playing will assist in lowering their blood lead levels."

In March 2006, Solomontown Primary School in Port Pirie launched their Good Start Breakfast Club with support from Red Cross, staff and volunteers, with the focus being providing the children with a healthy start to the day.  The club runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings before school providing breakfast for the children. Tenby10 provides funding for the purchase of the fresh food and drink for the Club. It is known that a child that misses the most important meal of the day, breakfast, can absorb 7 times more lead into the bloodstream than if they'd had a stomach full of healthy food.  Missing breakfast or having a breakfast low in nutritional value can be linked to problems such as poor concentration, low academic results and poor school attendance.

Nutrition plays a significant role in a child's ability to absorb lead. One initiative that has been implemented to assist in the reduction of children's blood lead levels are nutritional programs at schools, kindergartens and childcare centres. Each day, children receive fruit and milk for both the morning and afternoon sessions and healthy snacks are also provided for those children who come to school without sufficient food.