Members of the South Ayrshire Licensing Board are concerned about the number of young people who are involved in underage drinking, and the Board is actively seeking to address this with a new initiative.

South Ayrshire Council’s nine secondary schools have been given the opportunity to take part in a drama based education programme, that encourages young people to think about the consequences of consuming alcohol.

Diageo, a company that produces some of the world’s best known alcoholic drink brands, is providing a the programme, free of charge within South Ayrshire.

Chairman of South Ayrshire Licensing Board, Councillor Douglas Campbell said: “South Ayrshire Council is one of a few local authorities in Scotland to be involved in a programme of this kind.

“Members of the Board, Strathclyde Police and other agencies have become increasingly concerned about the number of young people illegally consuming alcohol. By working closely with members of the licensed trade, and others licensed to sell alcohol, a united effort is being made to eradicate the sale and consumption of alcohol by young people.

“However, a particular area of concern is the way in which young people acquire alcohol, which is often by an adult purchasing it for them. This is something that is beyond the control of the responsible retailers who adhere to the law, many of whom have adopted the practice of only selling alcohol to people over 21 years of age.

“Underage drinkers are breaking the law, and their actions could lead to them having a criminal record, but there are other consequences which are equally as concerning. After consuming alcohol young people are more vulnerable, especially females, and do things that they would never consider if they were sober, such as wandering off with strangers, creating a disturbance, becoming involved in a fight, or getting into a vehicle with a person they do not know.

They can also be putting their life at risk by injuring themselves through falls or fights, carrying out silly pranks or choking on their own vomit due to the sheer amount of alcohol that they have consumed.

“It is illegal for someone over 18 years of age to purchase and supply alcohol to people under 18 years of age, and I would ask anyone who has information about transactions of this kind to report the matter to Strathclyde Police.”

The programme is presented by CragRats, who are an experienced theatre company, providing hard hitting performances and interactive workshops that encourage dialogue between young people about issues surrounding drinking alcohol.

The performances by CragRats are based on real life scenarios, and have been specifically tailored to suit underage drinking issues in South Ayrshire.

Staff from the Council’s Licensing Section and South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership will work with Diageo, CragRats and the schools to facilitate the programme.

Diageo has commissioned an evaluation of the programme, both nationally and in South Ayrshire, which will include comments from the young people who take part in the programme. A report on the evaluation will be prepared by the company and presented at a future meeting of the South Ayrshire Licensing Board.

Pictured at Queen Margaret Academy seated in the centre is Chairman of South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership, Councillor Douglas Campbell with pupils and representatives of organisations involved in the initiative.