The Safer Essex Roads Partnership has been working with Collingwood Learning for many years delivering theatre in education to pre and young drivers. The two organisations are now working on how theatre and interactive workshops can be used to explore the concept of Graduated Driving Licencing.

The known benefits of using theatre to deliver high impact and engaging content relating to the Fatal Four is now being applied to develop students’ understanding of why graduated driving licences could be life savers. Using 2024 evaluation as a baseline, which suggested that 74% of students polled would support a GDL scheme, the partners are seeking to increase that further this year.

Sarah Hammill, Communications Manager, Safer Essex Roads Partnership

Sarah Hammill is the Communications Manager at the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP), where she jointly leads on high-impact behaviour change campaigns to support Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating all road deaths and serious injuries in Essex by 2040.

Sarah has supported in the delivery of a range of innovative road safety initiatives and is championing ‘My Car, My Rules’, a voluntary graduated driving licence programme designed to empower young drivers and their families to make safer choices behind the wheel.

With a strong focus on community engagement and data-led messaging, Sarah’s continues to work on shaping how Essex residents think about road safety, from primary school pupils, through to lifelong drivers.

Chris Simes, Founder, Collingwood Learning

Chris Simes founded Collingwood Learning in 2009, pioneering drama-based educational projects tackling real-world challenges in schools and communities here in the UK and internationally.

Chris has led impactful road safety education through two major programmes. Dead End, aimed at older students (Years 11–13), uses immersive theatre to challenge risky behaviours like drink-driving and speeding. Split Second, for Year 7 students, combines live performance and workshops to highlight the dangers of distraction and poor decision-making. Both initiatives support the Vision Zero goal of eliminating serious road incidents through early intervention and behaviour change.

Chris’s visionary approach with these programmes continues to shape Collingwood Learning’s commitment to transformative educational theatre ensuring impactful learning experiences that support road safety, emotional resilience, and community wellbeing.