|
SCHOOL PUPILS IN
THE NORTH WEST HAVE DRAMATIC LESSON ON THE RISKS OF UNDERAGE
DRINKING
%20Sarah%20Raine,%20Ben%20Sadler%20and%20Dean%20Marsden.JPG)
A powerful lesson on the
reality of alcohol misuse will be dramatically played-out on-stage
to thousands of pupils at secondary schools across Cheshire, Greater
Manchester and Merseyside over the coming weeks. Pupils at 29
schools across the region will take part in 'Smashed', a
theatre education programme, sponsored by Diageo GB and delivered by
Collingwood Learning. The performance and interactive workshop has
been developed in consultation with young people and helps pupils
understand the facts, causes, and consequences surrounding alcohol
misuse and the risks of underage drinking.
The cast of 'Smashed' delivers this hard-hitting show to
pupils, by telling the story of a group of friends whose misuse of
alcohol ends in tragedy. The performance is followed by an
interactive workshop, where young people are able to question the
decisions of characters, explore their motivations and the
consequences of their actions, and actually change the outcome of
the story.
Over the coming months 'Smashed' will be visiting schools
across the north of England to challenge young people's attitudes to
alcohol and empower them to make informed decisions about when and
how they might choose to drink in the future.
Chris Simes from Collingwood learning, which runs the 'Smashed'
programme said:- "Drama is a brilliant way to engage students
around a topic and is a powerful means to connect with young people.
The 'Smashed' performance effectively portrays the risks of alcohol
misuse and the interactive workshop captures the pupils' attention
and can genuinely help to transform their knowledge, behaviour and
attitudes by really getting under the skin of the issues."
Mark Baird, Head of Industry Affairs and Alcohol Policy at Diageo
GB, which has sponsored the 'Smashed' programme for the past
10 years said:- "We believe that young people need to be
educated to make informed decisions about alcohol consumption in the
future. Although we are encouraged to see that national statistics
continue to report a significant decline in alcohol consumption
amongst young people, there is always more to be done to tackle
issues surrounding alcohol misuse. We know from Drinkaware research
that most teenagers have their first taste of alcohol around the age
of 13; which is why it's so important to be holding these workshops
with this age group."
|
 |
Galloway's
Launch Diners Club
GALLOWAY'S Society for the
Blind based on Wright Street in Southport is celebrating the
successful launch of its new Diners Club which met for the first
time at the end of January.
17 members and friends of Galloway's turned up for the first club
meeting at local Southport restaurant 'The Office' on Hoghton
Street, to start a season of "Dining Out"for the society.
For many blind and partially sighted people, eating out can present
a range of problems, restricted access can make it difficult for
people with a visual impairment to get around, particularly for
those who rely on canes or dogs and things like poor lighting or the
lack of a large print menu can make the whole experience daunting
and even embarrassing for many people. One of the aims of the Diners
Club is to review how different local restaurants accommodate for
visual impairment.
Adrian a 'Seeing it My Way coordinator' at the centre said:-
"After asking those that attended the meal for feedback about
their dining experience this is what was said; the restaurant was
large with plenty of room to move about with a cane or dog and there
were already a lot of people enjoying their meals when we arrived –
normally a good sign! We were given a long table at the back of the
restaurant which had more suitable lighting than the front. The
table was well laid out and the surroundings were clean and
pleasant. The menu had a wide range of food to choose from all at an
affordable price and although they did not have a large print menu
when we phoned up to book the table, they went out of their way to
ensure there were large print menus on hand when we turned up on the
day.
1 waiter and 1 waitress served everyone and they were extremely
patient, gracious and helpful at all times. They deserved every bit
of the tip we gave them on leaving.
The general feeling was that the food was excellent value, hot and
extremely well presented. Nothing seemed too much bother for the
staff and one member even asked for a sweet which was not on the
menu and received it.
Top marks for this local restaurant and the next restaurants on the
list will have to do well to beat this very high standard. Our
advice to any partially sighted people planning a visit to 'The
Office' would be to ring ahead to ensure large print menus are
available on the day."
If you would like more information on the range services Galloway's
provide, are interested in attending the diners club or would like
to recommend a restaurant for review please call Adrian and Carl
on:- 01704 534555 or via
email. Alternatively the
Southport Centre is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 3pm or
Tuesday and Thursday by appointment only. |
