Young people have been having fun and learning about alcohol at two Alcohol Circuit Events that were held in Prestwick Academy.

The events were organised as part of a pilot scheme by the Alcohol and Young People Joint Action Group, through the South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership.

Earlier this year a local poster and awareness campaign took place in Prestwick, in conjunction with visits from South Ayrshire Council Licensing and Trading Standards Officers, to encourage the public to report people or premises who supply alcohol to people under 18 years of age.

Following on the success of the campaign the Alcohol Circuit Event was designed to focus the attention of P7 and S1 pupils on alcohol related matters and to offer advice and information. With the imminent school summer holidays some young people may be tempted to try new things and this could lead to an interest in alcohol.

On the day of the first Alcohol Circuit Event S1 pupils from Prestwick Academy attended and the following day P7 pupils from Heathfield, Glenburn, Kingcase, Whitletts, Monkton and Symington Primary schools took part.

Councillor Hugh Hunter, the Convener of the Council’s Community Safety Committee, said: “This is a great project which teaches young people important facts about alcohol in a fun way. Most young people have a responsible attitude to alcohol and are positive confident members of their community. However sometimes young people consume alcohol and get involved in incidents that they regret at a later date. Everybody has a responsibility to make sure that young people in our community are safe, healthy and confident.”

Each ‘Alcohol Circuit Event’ consisted of a variety of interactive stands where information was offered on alcohol issues, health, sports, dance, youth activities and the law relating to alcohol.

The stands were:

• Drinks Challenge How much do you know about alcohol?
• Pitch and putt Do you know what is available in Prestwick?
• Vandalism How does this affect everyone?
• Young Scot Proof of Age How do shopkeepers judge your age?
• Youth Services How to access these on the web and locally
• Beer goggles How drinking alcohol can affect balance and judgement
• Protect your health What to do if a friend has been drinking

Pupils were split into small groups and sent to different stands, when a whistle was blown the pupils moved to another stand. Each stand was interactive and delivered an important message about alcohol and a quiz style question sheet given to each pupil encouraged them to seek and remember information from each stand. Completed quiz sheets were entered into a prize draw and some lucky pupils left the event with a new mountain bike.

Each of the completed questionnaires will be analysed to see if the pupils views on alcohol changed as a result of attending the event. In addition each of the 450 pupils who took part in the event received an information containing information about alcohol issues and a variety of leisure activities.

Councillor Douglas Campbell>, Chair of South Ayrshire Licensing Board said: “In South Ayrshire the Education Service, the Health Board and the Police are working together to tackle the problems of young people drinking too much far too soon. This is not just an issue for young people as adults have to lead by example. Buying alcohol for anyone under 18 is illegal and it also puts youngsters at risk. It is everyone’s job to have a responsible attitude to alcohol to help the whole community.”

In South Ayrshire many off sales licence holders have adopted a ‘no sale to anyone under 21 policy’, to try and prevent people under 18 years of age purchasing alcohol, and others purchasing it on their behalf.

People should be aware of the following facts:

• It is illegal for anyone under 18 years of age to purchase alcohol
• It is illegal for anyone over the age of 18 to purchase and supply a person under 18 years of age with alcohol and there are heavy penalties for those who are caught
• The consumption of alcohol in public places in South Ayrshire is illegal
• Since banning drinking in public places in South Ayrshire in September 2002 hundreds of people have been charged for this offence by Strathclyde Police, and a large proportion of them have been under 18 years of age

Licensee Stewart Clarkson of the Parkstone Hotel who supported the event, and ran the licensing stand, pictured with Councillor Hugh Hunter, Councillor Douglas Campbell, and first year pupils from Prestwick Academy when they visited the Alcohol Circuit Event.

June 2006