Cleckheaton teen drinking comes under spotlight with Community Alcohol Partnership

A new partnership to tackle underage drinking habits is starting with police / traders and landlords. It was held Aakash Restaurant in Cleckheaton. Simone Arratoonian (Health Improvement Practitioner Specialist) speaks. (D554D428)

Youngsters drinking in the parks and streets of Cleckheaton are to be encouraged to put down the bottle.

The town has been chosen to take part in a scheme to combat underage drinking, but it’s more about education than law-enforcement. The project, a Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) will involve youngsters and their parents.

There are 82 similar schemes nationwide, with each tailored to the specific issues of the area.

The first meeting of the Cleckheaton project, which will initially last a year, took place at Aakash Restaurant on Friday. Another project started in Huddersfield on the same day.

CAP project officer Alan Simpson said: “We will look to see what activities there are in Cleckheaton to attract young people from drinking in parks.

“They do the work, they make the decisions and they get the credit. If we can help them to achieve potential, that’s great.”

It will take the form of workshops, in which those aged 12-17 found drinking in public will be invited with their parents on a juvenile alcohol impact course.

Speaking at Aakash, Sgt Andrew Lockwood, of West Yorkshire Police, reported on the initial effects of the scheme.

“We have minimal returns which tends to suggest that what we are doing is working,” he said.

Other workshops will focus on those selling alcohol, with representatives from supermarkets like Tesco training local off licence owners on how to deal with young people trying to buy alcohol.

It will also give youngsters the chance to think of creative ways to promote sensible drinking.

Mr Simpson said a Hartlepool group made wristbands to express their wish to stave-off pressure to booze and was worn by 80 kids.