People in Wantage and Grove are celebrating after the area’s Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) won three national awards for its work to tackle underage drinking.
On Wednesday 11 October at the Westminster launch of the CAP 2017 Impact Report, Nigel Watt, Chairman of Wantage and Grove CAP received the CAP of the Year Award from MP Fiona Bruce, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm.
James Maddern, Head of Engagement and Ethos at King Alfred’s Academy was also presented with an individual award for Excellence in Education, while Laura Warner of Thames Valley Police Licencing was highly commended for the outstanding contribution she has made to the CAP’s work.
Wantage and Grove Community Alcohol Partnership was introduced in 2015 by the South and Vale Community Safety Partnership under the Nightsafe umbrella, following concerns over underage drinking and anti-social behaviour in the local area. Under a CAP local councils, retailers, licensees, trading standards, police, health services, education providers and other local stakeholders all work together on a range of initiatives to tackle the problem.
With more than 150 CAPs nationally the awards are major recognition of the contribution that the Wantage and Grove scheme has made in tackling underage drinking. There has already been a 28 per cent decrease in the number of incidents of underage drinking being reported, a 69 per cent reduction in attempts by those underage to purchase alcohol in the local area, and an 8 per cent increase in the number of young people (year nine to 11) who do not drink at all.
Activities organised by Wantage and Grove CAP to help tackle underage drinking have included:
- an Alcohol Action Day at King Alfred’s Academy to encourage Year 9 pupils to be more aware of the dangers of alcohol
- a competition for young people to design an alcohol awareness stencil – the winning design by Jacob Creed was sprayed in chalk in prominent town locations
- providing local off-licence premises with Halloween and Christmas themed flyers warning of the dangers of buying alcohol for someone under 18
- attendance at local events to give advice to parents and young people
MP Fiona Bruce, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm said: “Wantage & Grove truly illustrates CAP’s philosophy of effective partnership working, bringing together a large range of organisations working for the good of their community. They’ve come up with some innovative ideas, from a school stencil competition to using a former ambulance kitted out with activities and games for young people. Regular surveys by the CAP show fewer young people drinking and a decrease in problem behaviour, and a large number of licensees say the CAP has helped to reduce the number of young people attempting to buy alcohol.”
Nigel Watt, Chairman of Wantage and Grove Street Pastors, said:
“Everyone in the Wantage and Grove CAP is delighted to have won the CAP of the year award. We've worked really hard to help reduce underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour and it's great to get some recognition for our efforts. For me it was a huge privilege to collect the award on behalf of the whole team and I'm sure this will spur us on to do more together.”
Councillor Eric Batts, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Vale of White Horse District Council which administers Wantage and Grove CAP, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved in the Wantage and Grove Community Alcohol Partnership and really demonstrates what can be achieved if a community works together to tackle an important local issue.”
James Maddern, Head of Engagement and Ethos at King Alfred’s Academy, said: “King Alfred’s Academy has been working closely with the CAP over the past year. We are committed to educating our students on the dangers of underage drinking as well as promoting the ethos of being responsible, respectable and safe. We have been delighted to welcome our partnership agencies into the school to work with the young people and will continue to support these projects.”
Laura Warner, Licensing Officer at Thames Valley Police, said: “I am very proud of the award. We all work very closely together and the communication between us makes it such an effective Community Alcohol Partnership.”
For more information about the work of Wantage and Grove Community Alcohol Partnership visit whitehorsedc.gov.uk/wantageandgrovecap.
The photo of Wantage and Grove CAP members with the Awards features - (left to right)
- Councillor Eric Batts (Cabinet member for Community Safety)
- James Maddern (Assist Head at King Alfred’s Academy)
- PC Sarah Merritt (Wantage and Grove)
- Georgina Hicks (Sweatbox)
- Nigel Watts (Coordinator of Wantage and Grove Street Pastors & Chair of Wantage and Grove CAP)