New Fylde Partnership to tackle youth alcohol issues

The Partnership involves police, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers, along with local authorities, working together to prevent alcohol-related harm to young people and improve the quality of life for residents.

In Fylde, partners include Fylde Council, Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Police, AFC Fylde Community Foundation, Fylde Rugby Foundation and Streetwise Youth Community plus local schools and retailers.

The Partnership will work with youth services and local organisations to provide alcohol-free leisure and sports activities for young people.

It will also work with local schools to take a proactive approach to alcohol education and ensure that young people are equipped to make the right decisions about issues including alcohol and drugs and anti-social and criminal behaviour. #

Working with local retailers the Partnership aims to help them avoid making underage sales and reduce ‘proxy’ sales where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.

Kate Winstanley, director of Community Alcohol Partnerships, said: "I am delighted to see the launch of a Partnership in Fylde.

"Underage drinking is associated with school and educational problems, unprotected sex, drug-taking, violence and drinking problems in later life.

"In just over a decade CAP has set up more than 200 partnerships around the UK and our evaluations show they are having a significant impact on reducing children’s alcohol consumption, improving their health and wellbeing and enhancing the communities where they live.”

Ian Brookes, sports development officer at Fylde Council, said: “Concerns were raised by the community about young people’s drinking and anti-social behaviour and after consulting with local young people, we decided to tackle the issue by setting up a Community Alcohol Partnership, with partner agencies working together to help reduce some of the harm that alcohol causes in our communities and to our young people. We believe it will be a really positive influence on the area.”

Since the scheme was created nationally in 2007, it has launched more than 200 schemes in England, Scotland and Wales.

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