Government official visits Shropshire to support campaign to tackle underage drinking
The Government’s Champion for Active Safer Communities, Baroness Newlove, visited Shropshire yesterday to see firsthand the important work that the Shropshire Council is doing to tackle underage drinking and alcohol-related problems in the county.
Last year Shropshire was successful in being awarded £90,000 of a £1million ‘Alcohol fund’ from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The fund was announced by Baroness Newlove in her latest report “Building Safe, Active Communities”, to help local neighbourhoods address alcohol-related issues such as underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour.
Baroness Newlove, who leads the initiative, met with community alcohol partnerships, councillors and young people to find out more about the initiatives taking place and the progress of the project in Shropshire.
The two-year project is being led by Shropshire’s Community Alcohol Partnership (Shrop-CAP), a multi-agency partnership set up to oversee the scheme, which comprises of Shropshire’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team, West Mercia Police, and Shropshire Council’s positive activities team and trading standards team.
The Baroness’ tour included a morning meeting with Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for public protection, and members of the Shrop-CAP steering group. This was followed by a visit to The Centre, Oswestry’s new youth centre, where the Baroness was greeted by Keith Barrow, Leader of Shropshire Council and local councillor for Oswestry South, and met young people and members of Os-CAP, Oswestry’s Community Alcohol Partnership.
The Baroness was joined by pupils of Marches School who did a presentation on young people’s views and solutions to alcohol use in the town. Shropshire Council’s positive activities team and the Oswestry Youth Café also provided an overview of the work they are doing with young people in the area.
Keith Barrow said:
“We are delighted Baroness Newlove visited Shropshire to see the work we are doing with partners to help tackle underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour.
“It was as a result of one of Baroness Newlove’s Government reports that we have now received £45,000 each year for the next two years. With the help of this money and through effective partnership working, we can make a real difference to the negative effects alcohol has on our communities.
“Baroness Newlove saw firsthand how the funding is being used and the positive changes it will make.”
In Shropshire the project is focusing on five public parks in Oswestry, Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Pontesbury which have seasonal summertime issues around underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour.
Supermarkets Tesco in Whitchurch, Morrisons in Oswestry, and Sainsbury’s in Bridgnorth have given their support to the scheme.
