Abbey College and Ramsey Gatehouse Sixth Form welcome Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner
Students from Abbey College and Ramsey Gatehouse Sixth Form recently hosted Darryl Preston, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner, leading an engagement session focused on community safety.
In preparation for the visit, four proactive Year 12 students from the sixth form delivered an initial discussion with their younger peers across the college.
Students consulted on a range of key topics, including Darryl’s role and his perspective on community safety, specific local issues such as tackling drug problems, and practical aspects of policing like an officer’s day-to-day role.
They also delved into career paths, asking about the qualifications needed to become a police officer and how the Commissioner’s own school subject helped shape his journey.
This was important in gathering questions and ensuring that the conversations with Commissioner Preston were relevant and reflective of young people’s concerns and ambitions.
When meeting Commissioner Preston, students listened carefully to his messages and asked many insightful questions, demonstrating their keen interest in understanding and contributing to local safety strategies.
Andy Christoforou, Headteacher at Abbey College said: “We were grateful to Commissioner Preston for visiting our school and sharing his enthusiasm with students.
“This visit showed us how important it is to empower young people to articulate their concerns and take part in shaping their local environment.
“Our Year 12 students over at Ramsey Gatehouse did an excellent job in facilitating these discussions and lobbying for positive change. The thoughtful questions from Year 8 and 9 showed how committed our students are to using their voice for a safer and stronger community.
We’re so proud of everyone involved in this initiative.”