A new Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) highlighting the risks of underage drinking to children and young people has launched in Crediton Ivybridge. The official launch took place on Thursday 12th June 2025.

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‍CAPs are partnerships between police, local authorities, schools, and retailers who work together to highlight the risks of underage drinking and improve the health and wellbeing of local children and young people.  

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Partners in the Ivybridge CAP include: Co-op, Devon & Cornwall police, The Watermark, Fusion Leisure Centre, Ivybridge Community College, SPACE youth charity and Ivybridge Town Council.

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The CAP 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.  

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Working with local retailers, the CAP also aims to prevent underage sales and ‘proxy’ sales, where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.    

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Karen Dent, Community and Health Engagement Coordinator, Fusion Lifestyle Leisure Centres "Bringing a Community Alcohol Partnership to an ever-growing Ivybridge town is a proactive and collaborative way to tackle alcohol related issues and promote responsible drinking and behaviours, particularly among young people. By using the local agencies such as schools, retailers, police, health services, community groups and their facilities, hopefully we can reduce underage drinking, improve public safety, minimise alcohol related harm to the young people and create a healthier, safer environment for everyone in Ivybridge and Fusion are proud to be part of this."

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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 also in later life.  We also know that the work CAPs do in local communities can help reduce things like the supply of alcohol to children, alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and underage street drinking.  That’s why it’s great to see local partners coming together in these new CAPs to highlight the risks of underage drinking and reduce alcohol harm among our young people.”  

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‍She continued: “We are looking forward to seeing the initiatives that the CAPs are working on and to making an impact in the local community.”

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