Calling time on underage drinking
A Cambridgeshire scheme targeted at reducing under-age drinking has scooped a top national prize in the Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards.
The nationally acclaimed Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) scheme, led by Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Standards, took the Best Initiative Award.
From left, Trading Standards' Cathy Inman, Charlotte Wilson, Leon Livermore, Hannah Shepherd and Karen Hopkins, pictured with their Cambridgeshire Justice Award, another prize scooped by those involved in the CAP scheme. Police and retailers were also involved.
The scheme, which has also won a Cambridgeshire Justice Award, brings local and national organisations such as the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, as well as traders, enforcement agencies, schools and the community together to tackle the problem of children drinking alcohol.
A pilot scheme in St Neots has seen big reductions in cans, bottles and boxes littering the streets as well as the number of youngsters who were found with alcohol. The scheme has now been rolled out into Cambridge and other local authority areas around the country.
The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group entered the award with Trading Standards and, like the Police, has been a staunch supporter of the initiative.
Cambridgeshire County Councillor Sir Peter Brown, Cabinet Member for the Economy, Environment and Climate Change said: "This national award is recognition of how communities can come together with retailers, both national and local, to improve the quality of life for everyone. There are many reasons why and how children obtain alcohol and this scheme tries to look at and address these in partnership. Cambridgeshire Trading Standards is once again blazing a trail when it comes to community initiatives as not only has this scheme been praised by Government but other authorities across the UK are using this model."
Instead of taking the traditional hardline approach to traders, it works with businesses to educate them and give better training as well as support. This has meant shopkeepers have telephoned for help when they have youngsters trying to buy drink or adults they suspect or know are passing it onto children.
The partnership is led by Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Standards and includes Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, residents' action groups, the Cambridge News, local traders and schools.