PARENTS IN THE NORTH WEST UNINTENTIONALLY FUEL UNDERAGE SUMMER DRINKING AND PUT CHILDREN AT RISK

53% of British parents who plan to provide their 16 and 17 year olds with alcohol for a week long summer holiday with friends will give 5 or more bottles of spirits or wine, according to research released by alcohol awareness charity, Drinkaware*. While 22% of parents in the North West say they buy their teenager alcohol to keep track of the amount they will drink, Drinkaware is reminding parents that this could inadvertently put their child at risk.

29% of parents in the North West would prefer their child to get alcohol from them rather than an unknown source. Although mums and dads have good intentions, Drinkaware is encouraging parents not to give their children alcohol to drink unsupervised over the summer. With large numbers of children going away with just their friends, the charity is advising parents to talk to their children about the risks associated with drinking to excess.

Parents in the North West are happy to give alcohol to their children, despite 32% knowing that their child has had a bad drinking experience. 9% are aware their child had unprotected sex when drinking and 83% know their child has been sick.

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware says:- “Lots of 16 and 17 year olds in the North West will want to mark the end of exams by celebrating with friends on a trip away, but if parents provide them with alcohol, it could inadvertently put them at risk. Parents might think they’re doing the right thing by ensuring alcohol comes from them instead of somewhere else, but when young people drink to excess it can compromise their personal safety and increase the chances of them having unprotected sex or being involved in an accident.  Parents have a huge influence on their children’s attitudes to alcohol, often without even realising it and 2/3rds of parents are not aware of the advice surrounding young people and alcohol. To help their children stay safe, parents should avoid giving them alcohol for unsupervised holidays and talk to them about possible risks. This summer, we’d encourage parents to visit the Drinkaware website for practical advice about talking to children about alcohol.”

As well as providing advice for parents, this summer Drinkaware is tackling alcohol misuse among 16 to 17 year olds in Newquay as part of its ‘Got Your Back’ campaign. Launching in conjunction with the local Newquay Safe Partnership, spearheaded by the local council and police, the campaign aims to encourage friends to look out for each other and think about the short-term risks of excessive alcohol consumption.

During the month that follows the end of their exams, thousands of 16 to 17 year olds are set to arrive in Newquay to holiday with their friends and Drinkaware is taking over a café on the popular Fistral Beach to create an alcohol-free venue where friends can meet, hang out and eat discounted food while having access to alcohol facts and information. Free internet and phone charging facilities will also be available.

Celebrations in Newquay last year were blighted by a series of accidents that saw the death of 2 students who fell from the cliffs and one who suffered a broken neck.

Excessive drinking by young people also led to a series of incidents in the town involving alcohol related anti-social behaviour.

Commenting on the Newquay initiative Sorek continues:- “Addressing the topic of alcohol with 16 and 17 year olds is key to making a positive difference to their attitudes about alcohol. We want to remind young people that you don’t need alcohol to celebrate and that drinking too much can be risky.”

Parents looking for advice about young people and alcohol can visit the dedicated ‘parents’ section of the Drinkaware website at:- drinkaware.co.uk/parents.

Plan bee launched

A GROUP of Liverpool residents are getting buzzy, as they prepare to launch a pioneering conservation project to protect bees.  Volunteers from the Woolton Village Residents Association (WVRA) and Friends of Woolton Woods (FOWW) have set up the Liverpool Bumblebee Haven Project in response to the plight of bees nationwide which has seen some species decline by 60% since the 1970s.

The project will create 2 wildflower sites at Croxteth Hall and Country Park and Woolton Woods, with another larger wildflower and natural habitat area in the pipeline.  The aim is to create the UK’s first city-wide bumblebee haven, with a series of bee-friendly wildflower sites located across Liverpool.  Work on the sites started on Monday, 5 July 2010, as volunteers begin to plant wildflowers at Woolton Woods and Camphill.

Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Tim Moore, said:- “This is a fantastic initiative and it‘s great that our residents are getting involved in doing something to protect the threatened insects.  And, they are already proving to be an inspiration to others, as several volunteer groups across the city are showing an interest in creating their own bee wildflower areas as part of the project.  It’s great to have such momentum behind something that will not only help the bees but also other wildlife as well - especially as this year is the International Year of Biodiversity.”

The Mersey Forest and Liverpool City Council have helped to coordinate and support the project, which will see the knowledge and experience gained during the initial stages passed on to others.

Peter Eustance from the WVRA said:- “Bees are vital to society thanks to their role in pollinating plants, but they are under serious threat from a significant loss of appropriate food sources and the right types of habitat. This project will create specially designed wildflower meadows of the right species of wildflowers and types of natural habitat for our bumblebees to help them thrive on Merseyside again.”

The project has been funded through the Landfill Communities Fund by Veolia Environmental Trust.

Veolia Environmental Trust’s Senior Project Manager, McNabb Laurie, says:- “The Trust supports community and environmental projects throughout the UK and it is great to see this scheme get underway. We’re pleased to be able to help the residents association purchase the specialist machinery and wildflower seed to make this important project happen.”

Bumblebees can travel 4km or more to forage for food, so the creation of just a handful of sizeable wildflower ‘feeding stations’ and over wintering habitats across Liverpool will go a long way to securing their future in the city.

Experts at Landlife, Liverpool’s wildflower charity, advised on species of flowers that will provide maximum food for bees at the new sites, which will also include bee nesting habitats such as existing banks of earth, hedgerows, and natural grasses modified to be more attractive to Bumblebee colonies.

To find out about volunteering as part of the Bumblebee Haven project, contact The Mersey Forest on:- 01925 816217.