The Vodafone Life Savers Awards are launching this week (Monday April 24) with a new celebrity-led campaign targeting young pranksters who make an estimated 50,000 [*1] 999 calls a year pretending there is an emergency.

And there’s the added warning that persistent abusers who endanger lives and annually waste £84 million [*] of taxpayers money risk having their mobiles cut off if the calls are traced back to them.

Vodafone is contacting more than 10,000 Head Teachers with details of how their school can get involved with a project called Hoax Impact, which has already been successfully piloted in West Berkshire.

Hoax Impact was initiated by The Vodafone UK Foundation and developed with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, West Berkshire Education and Business Partnership and neighbouring schools. 

The campaign encourages students to use photography and other media as part of their curriculum to illustrate the devastating effect spoof calls can have on the hard-pressed emergency services. 

To help promote the scheme, Vodafone has also produced a poster warning kids about the menace of hoax 999 calls. The school poster uses the campaign’s winning design, created by 18 year-old Sophie Ness from Park House School in Newbury.

There will also be a specially-produced WebTV programme taking place on Thursday May 25th 3-3.30pm, where Life Savers judge Simon Weston will join Dave Phillips, Community Manager of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and Ally Stevens from Vodafone to discuss how local schools can get more involved with the Hoax Impact campaign as well as how to nominate someone for a Life Savers Award - simply log onto www.webchats.tv.

Vodafone is now bringing the Hoax Impact campaign to regions across the UK to coincide with the launch of its annual Life Savers Awards, which honour men and women in the emergency services who have saved the life of another - often risking their own in the process.

Vodafone UK spokesperson, Ally Stevens said: 'The Life Savers Awards demonstrate the amazing work undertaken by our emergency services. From experience, we know the last thing these unsung heroes need is the pressure of hoax callers wasting time - and putting lives at risk.'

'Mobile phones are not a toy and should be used responsibly. That’s why we’re launching Hoax Impact with the message to youngsters: ‘Hoax calls waste time, waste money, waste lives’

Chief Fire Officer, Iain Cox, from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, who helped pioneer the campaign, said: 'Hoax calls put firefighters and resources in the wrong place at the wrong time - which could have disastrous results when there’s a real emergency and lives are at stake.

'We want to educate young people about the risks and ask them - how would you feel if it was your family who needed us - would you think it was funny to send a fire engine out on a hoax call then?

'Hoax Impact is a tremendous success because it allows us to deliver these messages in a creative and memorable way.'

Vodafone has become an Ambassador for the emergency services after creating the Life Savers Awards five years ago as a national tribute. The Awards also show how mobile phones have revolutionised the vital link between the public and the emergency services, now becoming an essential part of anyone’s first aid kit.

The organisers are now seeking nominations from anyone who has saved the life of another in extraordinary circumstances during the last two years.

A celebrity judging panel - helped by the Royal Humane Society - will select the 10 most inspiring stories.

The winning Life Savers will be congratulated by the Prime Minister at a special reception at 10 Downing Street this autumn as well as being honoured at a star-studded event in London.

Nominations to the Life Savers Awards can be made by contacting the awards hotline on 0870 902 3333.

Teachers wishing to know more about the Hoax Impact campaign are invited to email life.savers@vodafone.com.

Alternatively, they can log on to www.webchats.tv for an Interactive WebTV Programme on Thursday May 25th. People are invited to submit questions to the panel prior to the broadcast, or during the programme itself. The show will remain permanently archived on webchats.tv

*i) Figure sourced from ODPM ‘Fire Statistics UK’ (2003 figures)

*ii) Figure sourced from the ODPM ‘Economic Cost of Fire (estimates for 2003)

Notes to Editor

About Vodafone UK
Vodafone UK has 16.3 million customers and is part of the world’s largest mobile community offering a wide range of voice and data communications. The company is committed to providing mobile solutions that allow both consumer and business customers to make the most of now. In addition, Vodafone connects customers across the globe with roaming agreements worldwide. It provides 3G roaming in 18 countries and offers great roaming value with Vodafone Passport.  Vodafone UK was voted 13th Best Big Company to Work For in the Sunday Times Best Companies List, in March 2006. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.co.uk.

Hoax Impact - Pilot Project
Hoax Impact is a community initiative created by The Vodafone UK Foundation in partnership with Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service, West Berkshire Education Business Partnership, Thames Valley Partnership and West Berkshire Council. The project aims to address the issue of hoax fire calls by developing an A level assignment-linked campaign to show the effects and results of hoaxing and setting deliberate fires have on the emergency services. Further information on Hoax Impact is available on request by e-mailing life.savers@vodafone.com

The Vodafone UK Foundation
The Vodafone UK Foundation is a registered charity. It is one of 19 local country Foundations funded by The Vodafone Group Foundation and also receives donations from Vodafone UK Limited.

The Vodafone UK Foundation helps 16-25 year olds in the UK to live fuller lives, primarily by increasing their access to information and opportunities and through the use of mobile technology- based solutions where possible. The focus is particularly on those young people at risk of exclusion.  It also supports local communities in areas where Vodafone has a significant physical presence and Vodafone employees who are involved in community activities. Wherever possible The Vodafone UK Foundation provides charity partners with a range of resources in addition to financial support. 

The Vodafone UK Foundation was presented with a PerCent standard logo in the 2003/04 Business in the Community Giving List Report. Vodafone Group was ranked 50 in 2005 The Sunday Times/Business in the Community Companies That Count survey.

Further information can be found on www.vodafoneukfoundation.org.