Drinkaware Crew supports UK’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy

drinkware

Commenting on the Home Office’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy published today (23 March), Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of national alcohol education charity Drinkaware, said:

“Alcohol can fuel anti-social behaviour and violent crime costing society an estimated £11 billion a year*. So it’s no surprise that tackling alcohol related harm and crime remains a top priority for police forces across the UK.

“We are delighted to have been involved in helping to prevent and reduce drunken anti-social behaviour. Our ‘Drinkaware Crew’ are specifically trained to help young people stay safe when going on a night out. Along with police and community partnerships, we have been running a number of pilot schemes in bars and clubs in Nottingham and South West England to help young people stay safe when going out at night, reduce the number of young adults who experience drunken sexual harassment and help cut other negative experiences.

“The feedback we’ve had so far from police forces, venues and clubbers has been very positive and we now hope to roll-out the scheme more widely in regions of England, Scotland and Wales.”

drinkwareNote:

  • A copy of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy 2016 can be found
  • *£11 billion figure from Home Office (2012) Impact Assessment consultation: A minimum unit price for alcohol. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/a-minimum-unit-pricing.pdf (figure based on estimates from the Home Office in 2010/2011 prices).
  • The Drinkaware Crew Pilot Scheme has been running in the venues (below) since November 2015:

South West England:

  • Timepiece nightclub on Little Castle Street, Exeter
  • Popworld on Union Street and University of Plymouth Students’ Union in Plymouth
  • The Venue nightclub on Torwood Street, Torquay
  • The Office nightclub on River Walk, Truro
  • Moomoo clubrooms on Regent Street, Cheltenham

Nottingham:

  • The Drinkaware Crew have also been piloted at Rock City nightclub on Talbot Street, Nottingham for six months from November 2015.

The pilot scheme is due to end at the end of May 2016.

  • Drinkaware is an independent UK-wide, alcohol education charity with the objective of positively changing public behaviour and the national drinking culture.
  • We aim to reduce alcohol misuse and minimise harm by helping people make better choices about their drinking. We achieve this by providing impartial, evidence-based information, advice and practical resources; raising awareness of alcohol and its harms and by working collaboratively with partners (including the medical community, public health, third sector organisations, local authorities, police and the drinks industry). For further information visit www.drinkaware.co.uk