A partnership in Staveley that educates young people about the risks of underage drinking has been named Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) of the Year England.

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The award recognises an exceptional year of partnership working, innovation and sustained impact in reducing underage drinking, alcohol-related harm and anti-social behaviour.

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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 underage alcohol consumption and the resulting harms, improving health and wellbeing, and enhancing the wider community.

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Throughout 2024 and 2025, Staveley CAP has brought together schools, police, local authority teams, youth services, retailers, public health partners and community organisations to deliver a coordinated programme of prevention, education and diversionary activity. Their work has positively engaged thousands of young people, parents, retailers and community members, delivering measurable improvements in community safety and youth wellbeing.  

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A key focus has been preventing underage alcohol sales and strengthening retailer responsibility. Intelligence-led test purchase operations have been carried out across the area, with swift action taken where premises failed to comply. CAP resources, including multilingual Challenge 25 materials and in-store messaging, have been widely distributed, alongside seasonal anti-proxy purchasing campaigns and highly visible public messaging in supermarkets and community locations. Proxy purchasing is where an adult purchases alcohol for someone under the age of 18.  

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Another successful initiative, the Her Mix programme, supports vulnerable teenage girls identified as being at risk of alcohol-related harm and anti-social behaviour.  

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The partnership has also ensured alcohol awareness messaging is highly visible across the community, with campaigns delivered through schools, youth centres, supermarkets, public spaces and social media.  

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Targeted work around parks, town centre locations and retail areas has resulted in significant reductions in youth-related anti-social behaviour, particularly around key hotspot locations such as Morrisons in Staveley.

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Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We are delighted that the Staveley CAP has been awarded Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) of the Year England.

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“By working together with other local organisations, retailers, schools and other partners, we’ve been able to reach out to young people early to inform them about responsible alcohol use.  

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“We’ve taken a proactive approach to tackling underage drinking and reducing anti-social behaviour, and it is great to see that the hard work by all those involved has been recognised nationally.”

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Kate Winstanley, Director of Community Alcohol Partnerships, commented:  “Staveley CAP is a powerful example of how education, early intervention and strong partnership working can transform outcomes for young people. By embedding alcohol education across schools, supporting retailers, and providing targeted programmes for those most at risk, the partnership has delivered measurable reductions in underage drinking and alcohol-related harm.  

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“Their work shows what is possible when communities come together with a shared commitment to protecting young people, and they are thoroughly deserving winners of this year’s CAP of the Year England award.”

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The Staveley CAP team received their award at a ceremony held in the House of Commons on 2 March 2026.

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