Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAPs) are made up of partnerships between local authorities, police, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers, working together to highlight the risks of underage drinking and improve the health and wellbeing of local children and young people.

The Sheringham CAP will work with youth services and local organisations to provide alcohol-free activities for young people. It will also work with local schools to educate young people about underage drinking and ensure that they are equipped to make the right decisions about issues such as alcohol and drugs and anti-social and criminal behaviour.  

Working with local retailers CAP aims to help them avoid making underage sales and reduce ‘proxy’ sales where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.

Partners in the SheringhamCAP include Norfolk Police, North Norfolk District Council, Sheringham Town Council, Everyone Active, Trading Standards, Licensing Schools, Alcohol Retailers and the local Community. The CAP will be co-ordinated by PC Ian Smith and Sgt Toby Gosden of Norfolk Police.

Kate Winstanley, Director of Community Alcohol Partnerships, said: "I am really pleased to see the launch of a CAP in Sheringham. We know from extensive research that underage drinking can lead to school and educational problems, as well as unsafe sex, drug-taking, violence and drinking problems in later life.”

“In fifteen years, CAP has set up over 270 partnerships around the UK and our research shows that they are having a real impact on reducing children’s alcohol consumption, improving their health and wellbeing and enhancing the communities where they live.”

PC Ian Smith added:

“Sheringham remains a safe and friendly place for our children and we want to ensure that it stays that way. I am pleased to see the community coming together in this new CAP to highlight the risks of underage drinking and reduce alcohol harm among our young people.”

About Community Alcohol Partnerships:

CAPs bring together a range of local stakeholders with a shared interest in preventing underage drinking and encouraging responsible drinking among young adults.

A rigorous evaluation framework shows how this innovative partnership approach has brought significant reductions in alcohol supply to children, alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and underage street drinking, with CAP areas demonstrating:

• 61% average reductions in weekly drinking among 13–16-year-olds
• 99% of retailers passed Challenge 25 compliance test for alcohol sales
• 86% of retailers did not sell alcohol when they suspected it was a ‘proxy’ sale
• 50% reduction in young people hanging around shops and asking adults to buy alcohol for them
• 42% reduction in youth alcohol-related anti-social behaviour

For more information see: www.community alcoholpartnerships.co.uk

For media information please contact: Samantha Patel, PR Manager, CAP sam@community alcoholpartnerships.co.uk