An initiative supported by an Ashfield company has seen more than 270 youngsters at a Sutton school learn about staying safe online.

Doorcerts Manufacturing UK, of Stanton Hill, funded two days of Positive Social sessions at Quarrydale Academy.

Run by social media experts Mark Saxby and Kerry Saxby, Positive Social is a charity that helps young people survive and thrive in today’s social media world.

Its vision is to work with every secondary school in the UK to empower students to use social media positively and equip them to avoid the pitfalls.

After seeing Mark deliver a workshop, Sarah Armson, of Doorcerts, wanted to help youngsters to learn more about staying safe online.

Sarah, who attended Quarrydale Academy herself, said: “Young people’s mental health is something very close to my heart. I’m also a youth support worker in a busy Mansfield youth club and I am a mother of three, so I see the dangers on a regular basis.

“The sessions that Positive Social offer to secondary schools are fantastic, and I know that they get good feedback from pupils and schools staff. I’m proud that Doorcerts is playing its part in the local community.”

Typical sessions include information about how social media can impact their behaviour and affect their self-worth. Another session focuses on how what people post on social media can negatively affect their future employment.

Mark said: “It was always our dream to get local businesses supporting Positive Social. So when Doorcerts offered to fund sessions in their local secondary school, we thought it was wonderful.

“What our sessions do is make people think about the dangers of social media and what sort of information they are freely posting online. I’m proud that we are helping to make a difference.”

Feedback from the sessions has been positive, said Richard Lane, behaviour manager and head of year seven at Quarrydale.

“Overall, they enjoyed the sessions,” he added. “There were a lot of great tips that pupils — and parents — can learn to use. We’re grateful to Doorcerts for helping to make it happen and to Positive Social for the amazing work they do.”