A new Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) has been launched in Wrexham to address the issue of underage drinking in the local community.

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The partnership was launched at Tŷ Pawb on Tuesday 21st April.

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CAPs are community-led partnerships which bring together local police, councils, schools, retailers, and community groups. Their primary goal is to reduce alcohol harm in children and young people, improve their health and well-being, and enhance the wider community. Partners involved in the CAP include:

· Wrexham University

· Wrexham Trading Standards and Licensing

· North Wales Police

· Youth Justice

· School's Improvement and Safeguarding

· Performance, Improvement & Partnerships

· Police Licensing Officer

· Wrexham AFC Foundation

· Fire & Rescue Service

· Welsh Ambulance Service

· Betsi CUHB – Maelor Hospital – Children’s and Adolescent health

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The CAP in Wrexham will work to educate young people about underage drinking and help them to make better decisions about issues such as alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour. It will be launched alongside, and in partnership with, the first Anti-Spiking Charter of its kind in Wales.

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It will do this in three ways:

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- By working with schools and youth groups, the partnership will educate young people about the dangers of underage drinking and equip them to make responsible choices regarding alcohol, drugs, and anti-social behaviour.

- By working closely with local retailers to enforce regulations and prevent the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. This includes stopping illegal “proxy sales” where adults purchase alcohol for individuals under 18, and ensuring all retailers comply with the Challenge 25 policy

- By providing positive and engaging activities for young people, offering them safe, supervised environments to socialise. These activities are a crucial part of the CAP strategy, providing an excellent opportunity to deliver alcohol education in an informal setting.

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The impact of CAPs has been measured and proven. Nationwide, partnerships have led to reductions in regular drinking among 13-16-year-olds and in alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

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Kate Winstanley, Director of CAP said “We know from extensive research that underage drinking can lead to lots of challenges for young people in their education, relationships, health and increased risk of alcohol-related harm in later life. CAP has proved to be a successful model for tackling underage drinking and just as importantly promoting positive health and wellbeing in children and young people. Our evidence shows that CAPs are extremely effective in reducing the supply of alcohol to children, underage alcohol consumption and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

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“That’s why it’s great to see local partners coming together in Wrexham to highlight the risks of underage drinking and reduce alcohol harm among local children and young people.”

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She continued: “We are looking forward to seeing the initiatives that the CAP is working on and to making a positive difference to the local community.”

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Councillor Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Public Protection at Wrexham County Borough Council, said:

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“The launch of the Community Alcohol Partnership in Wrexham is a significant step forward in our ongoing work to protect children and young people and to support safer, healthier communities. Underage drinking is a concern that affects not only young people themselves, but families, schools, local businesses and neighbourhoods as a whole.

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This partnership brings together a wide range of organisations who are all committed to the same goal – reducing alcohol-related harm and giving young people the information, confidence and support they need to make positive choices. By combining education, enforcement and positive activities, the CAP provides a practical and proven approach to tackling underage drinking.

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I am particularly pleased to see such strong local collaboration, including our schools, retailers, emergency services and community organisations. Working together in this way will help ensure that Wrexham remains a safe place for young people to grow up and for residents to live, work and socialise.”

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