Magistrates in the Community is the Magistrates Association community engagement initiative. Every year, teams of volunteer magistrates across the UK deliver a huge variety of presentations to incredibly diverse audiences.

We visit schools, colleges, offices, community groups, and religious and social groups, aiming to demystify the legal system and educate the wider community about the work of their local court. We offer presentations to Years 6 and above and can range from informal talks to interactive mock trials. Previous presentations have covered topics like:

• The role of magistrates and what happens in the Magistrates’ Courts • Some of the commonly heard cases in the Magistrates’ Court • How sentences are reached and how guilt or innocence is decided • The consequences a criminal record will have on their future lives and opportunities • The impact of crime on the victims and the local community

Thousands of primary school pupils across Cheshire have derived real benefit from such talks and the Magistrates who have given the talks have been impressed with the many questions the pupils have posed and the keen interest they show in the law.

We would be delighted to come and give such a talk to your pupils and hope that you will take up this offer. The pupils will understand that what we talk about is real life and not the fictional dramas on television.