Oswestry project to tackle underage drinking

Oswestry Youth Café (OYC), a partner in the Oswestry Community Alcohol Partnership (Os-CAP) that is being led by Shropshire Council’s trading standards service, is piloting a project to tackle underage drinking and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour amongst young people. 

Youth workers are going out on the streets in Oswestry on Saturday evenings to talk to young people.  They are discussing the dangers associated with underage drinking, levels of alcohol consumption and the effects of anti-social behaviour on the Oswestry community.  They are also highlighting how proxy purchasing – where over 18s purchase alcohol and supply it to young people who are under 18 – is illegal. 

At the same time the OYC building, at Oswald Road, is opening offering a healthy lifestyles programme where young people are being encouraged to make healthy lifestyle and healthy eating choices.  The OYC is also raising awareness of drug and alcohol issues amongst young people.  A programme of activities is being provided, together with volunteering opportunities within OYC and in the Oswestry community as a whole.  

Ian Wilson, OYC’s project leader said:

“Os-CAP and Oswestry’s Community Safety Partnership have both, unsurprisingly, confirmed through recent research that the peak time for underage drinking, within Oswestry town centre and in surrounding open spaces, is at weekends and particularly on a Saturday night.  One of the really important elements of the OYC project is that we are offering a safe environment for young people to come to on Saturday evenings, and I strongly encourage youngsters between the ages of 15 and 19 to seek us out and make full use of our facilities. 

“OYC is not in this alone.  Other key organisations involved in the delivery of the project are West Mercia Police and Shropshire Council through their young people’s substance misuse team and the drug and alcohol action team.  OYC is ideally placed to deliver this important work in Oswestry and the project offers a real chance to address underage drinking and anti-social behaviour in the area.” 

Through the Os-CAP, it has been agreed that money from Oswestry’s Community Safety Partnership will fund the project until March 2012.  Sainsbury’s Oswestry branch is also contributing produce for educational purposes as part of the healthy eating programme, and through this young people can receive information about their nutritional needs and how to cook healthy food to meet these needs.  In addition, the Oswestry Local Joint Committee (LJC) has recently made a recommendation to give £1,000 to the project, with the final decision being made at the next LJC meeting on 20 September 2011.  

Frances Darling, trading standards manager for Shropshire Council and chair of Os-CAP said:

“The OYC youth project is one part of the Os-CAP’s toolkit that is currently being developed to tackle the underage drinking that occurs in Oswestry.  We are delighted that the Community Safety Partnership is funding the project and that Sainsbury’s is also contributing.  We hope that the LJC bid will also be successful. 

“What’s important though is that we secure long term funding for the project and would encourage any organisations or individuals who feel they can offer support, either financially, or in kind, to contact Ian Wilson at the OYC on 01691 656559.”

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for trading standards, said:

“The effects on the Oswestry community of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and that of the health and well-being of young people cannot be ignored.  The OYC project aims to support and educate young people so they make the right choices for the community they live in and for their own health and well-being.”

Martin Bennett, a Shropshire councillor for Oswestry East, said:

“Young people are very important to Oswestry and we want them to have the best possible start in life.  This project will help us in that aim, and address the issues which are so often raised with councillors about alcohol related behaviour in and around Oswestry.”

For more information on OYC go to http://www.ozyouthcafe.co.uk

Further information on Community Alcohol Partnerships can be found at http://www.wsta.co.uk/cap.html