 |
Surrey
Heath Borough Council Surrey Police Woking Area
Primary Care Trust Surrey County
Council |
NEWS
RELEASE |
Surrey Heath
Underage Drinking Campaign
Underage drinking and issues of youth disorder are closely linked. In
a bid to tackle these problems the charity Surrey Crimestoppers, working
with the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership, is launching a major campaign
across the Borough.
The campaign targets all members of the community (not just young people), calling on them to report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 who the underage drinkers are and how and where they are obtaining their alcohol. Posters will be appearing throughout the Borough and postcards are being sent out with all Council Tax bills.
The campaign is being launched by the Mayor of Surrey Heath, Cllr. Stewart Stevenson, on Friday 17th February in Main Square shopping centre, Camberley. At 10.30am pupils from the 6th form at Kings International College will give a short theatre presentation depicting a group of youngsters under the influence of alcohol and the subsequent anti-social behaviour. The performance will be repeated at short intervals during the day to attract public attention.
Barry Catchpole, Chair of the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership said, “The Safer Surrey Heath Partnership fully supports the Surrey Crimestoppers campaign. We are all affected by the consequences of underage drinking. We see the evidence on our streets through vandalism, graffiti and violence and it is up to all of us to take action against it. Not only are those who supply alcohol to under 18s perpetuating the problem of alcohol-fuelled youth disorder, but they are committing an offence and face high fines. It is a matter that we take very seriously and we want to encourage everyone else to do the same. If you know who the offenders are or have information about any crime or anti-social behaviour call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Jane Wright from Surrey Crimestoppers added, “We welcome the opportunity to launch our underage drinking campaign in Surrey Heath. The more people who are given the Crimestoppers message, the more likely it is that we will receive valuable information that will help stop underage drinking and take the resulting crime and anti-social behaviour off our streets. Many people know who it is committing these offences. They want to do something about it but for whatever reason do not want to go direct to the police. This is where Crimestoppers comes in. By calling the 0800 555 111 number you can pass on your information without ever having to give your name or any personal details. No-one will know it was you who called.”
Safer Surrey Heath is the Surrey Heath Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership which is a joint venture between Surrey Police, Surrey Heath Borough Council and Surrey County Council. It also incorporates Surrey Heath & Woking Area Primary Care Trust, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and Surrey Police Authority. The Partnership has a shared responsibility to implement a strategy to reduce crime and disorder within the Borough of Surrey Heath.
Crimestoppers is the only charity dedicated to solving crimes and taking criminals off the streets. Around 20 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers. One person every 6 days is charged with murder, as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.
Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over 770,000 calls with useful information, resulting in over 68,000 arrests and charges. Over £89 million worth of property has been recovered and over £124 million worth of drugs.
Further information on ‘Safer
Surrey Heath’ can be accessed on the Surrey Heath web site www.surreyheath.gov.uk
- Look under ‘Community’ and then ‘Safer Surrey Heath’.
For further information about the campaign please contact Jackie Swaine,
Surrey Heath’s Community Safety Officer 01276 707356 or Jane Wright
from Crimestoppers 01428 727433
For further information or photographs contact:
Amanda Gow, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Press & Communications Officer
01276 707312
Helen Williamson /Margaret Cole, Surrey Police, Press & Publicity
Officers 01483 655785
Sarah Aspinall, Surrey County Council, Local Media Adviser 07966
210938
Joanna Pratt, Surrey Fire & Rescue, Publicity Officer 01737
224047
Wendy Lockwood, Surrey Heath & Woking Primary Care Trust, Head of
Communications 01932 358618
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref: 18/06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------