Published: Tuesday, 19th October 2021
A Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) will be launched in King’s Lynn on Friday 22 October 2021.
CAPs are made up of partnerships between local authorities, police, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers, working together to highlight the risks of underage drinking and improve the health and wellbeing of local young people.
The CAP will work with youth services and local organisations to provide alcohol-free 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; aims to help them avoid making underage sales and reduce ‘proxy’ sales where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.;
In King’s Lynn, partners include the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk County Council (Children’s Services, YOT), West Norfolk Secondary schools, Freebridge Community Housing, Longhurst Group, Broadland Housing Group, YMCA, Community Action Norfolk, Matthew Project, Momentum Norfolk, Swan Youth Project, alcohol retailers and the community.
Kate Winstanley, Director of Community Alcohol Partnerships, said: "I am delighted to see the launch of a CAP in King’s Lynn. 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.”
Cllr Sam Sandell, Cabinet member for People and Communities at the borough council, added: “King’s Lynn and West Norfolk remains a safe and friendly place for our children, we want to ensure that it stays that way. I’m pleased to see the Community Alcohol Partnership being launched in King’s Lynn this week. The CAP will highlight the risks of underage drinking and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of young people in west Norfolk.”
More than 200 schemes have now been launched across England, Scotland and Wales. The initial launch will be through an online Teams meeting on Friday.